Chandigarh: In a stern warning against “forum shopping” and the abuse of judicial time, the Punjab and Haryana high court dismissed a second anticipatory bail petition filed by an alleged fraudulent travel agent, imposing exemplary costs of Rs 20,000. Justice Sumeet Goel passed these orders while dismissing a petition filed by Sukhwinder Singh. Justice Goel criticised the petitioner for attempting to “test the waters” by filing a fresh plea without any substantial change in circumstances. In this case, an FIR was registered at police station Phillaur, involving charges of cheating and criminal breach of trust. According to the prosecution, the petitioner allegedly posed as a travel agent, promising the complainant, Prabhjot Singh, a work permit and visa for Spain for Rs 5,00,000. The complainant and his family reportedly transferred a total of Rs 3,65,000 to bank accounts provided by the petitioner. To further the deception, Singh allegedly sent a fake copy of a visa via mobile phone. The fraud was discovered when the complainant’s passport was returned without any valid visa endorsement.When the complainant asked for a refund, the petitioner allegedly threatened him. The petitioner’s first attempt at pre-arrest bail was dismissed as withdrawn in July 2025. Justice Goel noted that Singh then remained “at large” for over 7 months before filing this second petition. The court described this “hit and try methodology” as a malady that strikes at the root of judicial propriety. The judge observed, “A litigant who approaches the same court for the same relief, absent any material change in circumstances, engages in a stratagem of attrition that is less a pursuit of justice and more an exercise of testing the waters.”The court ruled that the petition not only lacked merit due to the severity of the allegations but was also procedurally flawed. Rejecting the bail plea, the HC directed the petitioner to deposit Rs 20,000 with the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Jalandhar, within 4 weeks. “If the fine is not paid, the deputy commissioner of Jalandhar is authorised to recover the amount as arrears of land revenue. The funds will be remitted to the Punjab State Legal Services Authority,” the HC ordered. The court concluded that such “procedural adventurism” must be nipped in the bud to prevent the erosion of public faith in the consistency of the law. MSID: 129457640 413 |
