Anil Manrao vs State of Punjab

T.P.S. Mann, J.—Prayer made in the present petition filed u/s 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure is for the grant of transit/interim bail to the petitioners for a period of four weeks so as to enable them to appear before the Investigating Officer on 21.7.2014 in case FIR/CR No. 5/14 under Sections 498A, 385, 386, 387, 506(ii) read with Sections 511 and 34 IPC registered at Women Police Station, Panaji-Goa on the complaint submitted by Smt. Brenda Manrao, wife of Naveen Manrao, who is son of petitioners Anil Manrao and Smt. Anita Rani.

Notice of motion.

On the asking of the Court, Mr. Gurinderjit Singh, Deputy A.G., Punjab accepts notice on behalf of respondent No. 1 while Mr. J.S. Toor, Additional Public Prosecutor for UT, Chandigarh for respondent No. 3.

It is the case of the petitioners that they are permanent residents of Chandigarh. However, Smt. Brenda Manrao, who is married to the son of Anil Manrao and Smt. Anita Rani-petitioners, in connivance with her husband, has lodged the aforementioned FIR/CR against them at Women Police Station, Panaji-Goa. In the said FIR/CR, all the petitioners have been summoned for 21.7.2014. Copies of the notices issued to the petitioners have been appended with the petition as Annexure P-5 (Colly.) It is submitted that because of paucity of time, the petitioners are not in a position to approach the Court of competent jurisdiction of Panaji-Goa for the grant of anticipatory bail. They apprehend their arrest while proceeding for appearing before the Investigating Officer at Panaji-Goa. Prayer has, accordingly, been made for the grant of transit/interim bail to the petitioners.

Having heard learned counsel for the parties and on going through the petition, this Court is of the considered view that the petitioners deserve protection against arrest but for a limited period of time so that they may appear before the Investigating Officer at Women Police Station, Panaji-Goa.

Resultantly, it is directed that the petitioners be not arrested either by the Punjab Police or by the UT, Chandigarh Police or even by the Goa police upto 25.7.2014. However, they shall present themselves before the Investigating Officer at Women Police Station, Panaji-Goa on 21.7.2014 and join the investigation. The petitioners shall, however, be at liberty to approach the concerned Court at Panaji-Goa for the grant of concession of anticipatory bail.

The petition is, accordingly, disposed of.