Ravinder @ Tanni @ Taran Vs State of Haryana (Punjab And Haryana High Court)
The Punjab and Haryana High Court denied bail to Ravinder @ Tanni @ Tarun in a 2022 murder case registered in Karnal, Haryana. The case stems from the killing of Sumit, with allegations that Ravinder, along with Anurag @ Arjun and Sandeep @ Koki, were involved. The victim’s brother filed a complaint stating Sumit had previously expressed fear of the accused.
Evidence and Allegations:
The prosecution presented evidence including disclosure statements from the accused, CCTV footage, and the postmortem report. Anurag @ Arjun admitted to firing the fatal shot, while Ravinder allegedly inflicted blows with a stick. The postmortem report corroborated these claims, showing both firearm and blunt force injuries on the deceased. CCTV footage placed Ravinder and Anurag together shortly before the incident. While Sandeep @ Koki had been granted bail, the court distinguished Ravinder’s case, citing his direct role in inflicting injuries as evidenced by the postmortem report.
Arguments and Court’s Reasoning:
Ravinder’s counsel argued that his role was based solely on confession statements, which have limited evidentiary value, and that he was entitled to bail as Sandeep @ Koki had been granted the same. Additionally, they claimed that the grounds of arrest were not communicated to Ravinder. The court rejected these arguments, stating that the postmortem report and CCTV footage provided corroborative evidence. The court also noted that the “last seen” evidence was similar for both Ravinder and Sandeep.
Judicial Precedents and Arrest Procedures:
The court addressed the argument regarding the non-communication of arrest grounds, referencing recent Supreme Court judgments. In Pankaj Bansal v. Union of India, it was established that written grounds of arrest must be provided to the arrested person. However, in Ram Kishore Arora v. Directorate of Enforcement, the Supreme Court clarified that this requirement applies prospectively, effective from October 3, 2023, the date of the Pankaj Bansal judgment. As Ravinder’s arrest occurred in February 2022, the court concluded that the non-supply of arrest grounds did not invalidate his arrest. The court also referenced Prabir Purkayastha v. State (NCT of Delhi) and Vihaan Kumar v. State of Haryana & Another, which further affirmed the prospective application of the Pankaj Bansal ruling.
Bail Denial:
Based on the evidence presented and the application of relevant judicial precedents, the Punjab and Haryana High Court found that Ravinder’s case was distinguishable from that of Sandeep @ Koki. The court determined that there was sufficient evidence linking Ravinder to the crime, particularly the injuries inflicted by a blunt weapon. Consequently, the court dismissed Ravinder’s bail petition.
FULL TEXT OF THE JUDGMENT/ORDER OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA HIGH COURT
