Sawal Kumar v. State of Punjab
Case brief
What is this about?
Punjab & Haryana High Court anticipatory bail / interim bail confirmation; disclosure statement of co-accused; contraband recovery; FIR implicating petitioner on disclosure; join investigation; custodial interrogation not required; Section 482(2) Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 (BNSS); blanket order disclaimer; cancellation/recall liberty; Sawal Kumar; State of Punjab; Addl. AG Baljinder Singh Sra; DAG Hemant Aggarwal; counsel G.S. Randhawa; relied on Ashu v. State of Punjab CRM-M-54032-2024 (P&H HC) and Jugraj Singh v. State of Punjab SLP(C) 9190/2025 (SC); counsel earlier invoked Vijay Singh v. State of Haryana SLP(C) 1266/2023, State by (NCB) Bengaluru v. Pallulabid Ahmad Arimutta & Anr 2022(1) RCR (Criminal) 762, Tofan Singh v. State of Tamil Nadu AIR 2020 SC 5592, and Smt. Najmunisha 2024 INSC 290.
What did the court decide?
Confirmation of the interim order dated 25.3.2026, which is made absolute: the petitioner, who has joined investigation, retains the protection of that order (release on interim bail in the event of arrest while reporting/joining investigation), subject to the conditions enumerated under Section 482(2) of BNSS; protection confined to the FIR in question, with liberty reserved to the State/complainant for cancellation/recall on breach.