Suresh Chand Meena Vs State of Haryana (Punjab and Haryana High Court)
The Punjab and Haryana High Court granted bail to Suresh Chand Meena, a GST inspector accused of demanding a bribe for approving a GST registration application. The complaint alleged that Meena rejected multiple applications filed by the complainant, demanding ₹10,000 to approve the registration. The case was registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and a recorded conversation served as evidence against the petitioner. Despite the allegations, the court highlighted the principle that pre-trial incarceration should not serve as punishment and considered the petitioner’s custody duration of 1 month and 25 days.
The court allowed bail, citing the absence of criminal antecedents and agreeing to stringent conditions, including the submission of identification details and regular court appearances. It emphasized that the bail does not reflect an opinion on the case’s merits. The order also included safeguards against evidence tampering or witness intimidation. This decision underscores the balance between ensuring fair trial rights and the judicial system’s need to prevent misuse of liberty granted during the trial phase.
FULL TEXT OF THE JUDGMENT/ORDER OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA HIGH COURT
1. The petitioner incarcerated in the FIR captioned above had come up before this Court under Section 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, [BNSS], seeking regular bail.
