Sagardeep Singh @ Sethi vs State Of Punjab

CRM-M-39530-2025 (O&M)and other connected cases 1
104 (3 cases)
IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA
AT CHANDIGARH
CRM-M-39530-2025 (O&M)
Sagardeep Singh @ Sethi
…...Petitioner
Versus
State of Punjab and Another
.....Respondent
CRM-M-54141-2025 (O&M)
Partiksha Anand @ Preeti
…...Petitioner
Versus
State of Punjab
…...Respondent
CRM-M-52489-2026 (O&M)
Gurpreet Singh @ Gopi @ Tony @ Tani
…...Petitioner
Versus
State of Punjab
…...Respondent
Decided on: 11.11.2026
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY VASHISTH
Present: Mr. Deepkaran Dalal, Advocate
Ms. Khushboo Garg, Advocate
Mr. Lalit Sharma, Advocate
for the petitioner (in CRM-M-39530-2025).
Mr. Aayush Gupta, Advocate and
Mr. Abhishek Chaudhry, Advocate
for the petitioner (in CRM-M-54141-2025).
Mr. A.S. Sekhon, Advocate
for the petitioner (in CRM-M-52489-2026).
Mr. Manjinder Singh Bhullar, DAG, Punjab.
REENA
2026.11.13 10:24
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CRM-M-39530-2025 (O&M)and other connected cases 2
Mr. C.S. Jattana, Advocate
for the complainant

SANJAY VASHISTH, J. (ORAL)
1. By way of this common order, the above-mentioned petitions are
being decided together as they arise out of the same FIR and common
allegations.
2. Petitioner-Sagardeep Singh @ Sethi (in CRM-M-39530-2025)
has filed instant first bail petition under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023 (earlier
Section 439 Cr.P.C.), for grant of regular bail, during the pendency of trial,
who has been booked in a criminal case arising out of FIR No.26, dated
16.02.2025 registered under Sections 311, 103 of BNS at Police Station
Dehlon, Ludhiana.
3. Petitioner-Partiksha Anand @ Preeti (in CRM-M-54141-2025)
has filed instant first bail petition under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023 (earlier
Section 439 Cr.P.C.), for grant of regular bail, during the pendency of trial,
who has been booked in a criminal case arising out of FIR No.26, dated
16.02.2025 registered under Sections 311, 103 of BNS, 2023 (Section 61(2),
238 and 217 of BNS was added later on) at Police Station Dehlon, District
Police Commissionerate, Ludhiana.
4. Petitioner-Gurpreet Singh @ Gopi @ Tony @ Tani (in CRM-M-
52489-2026) has filed instant first bail petition under Section 483 of BNSS,
2023 (earlier Section 439 Cr.P.C.), for grant of regular bail, during the
pendency of trial, who has been booked in a criminal case arising out of FIR
REENA
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CRM-M-39530-2025 (O&M)and other connected cases 3
No.26, dated 16.02.2025 registered under Sections 103, 311 of BNS
(corresponding Sections 302/397 IPC) later on added offence under Section
61(2), 238 and 217 of BNS (corresponding Sections 120B/201/182 IPC) at
Police Station Dehlon, District Ludhiana.
5. Complainant-Anokh Mittal (who was later on turned to be as
accused for murder of his own wife) got registered the FIR, which reads as
under:
“I am in the business of batteries. I was married to lipsi D/o Ramesh
Kumar, resident of Mansa, about 13 years ago, I have two children, an
elder daughter. Raghavi, and a younger son, Vaivik, both of whom are
studying. Yesterday, on 15-02-25, in the morning, I and my wife Lipsi both
came to V MAX Restaurant Rat Pohir in our car number PB-10-DE-8881,
brand Ritz, colour silver. Then at around 12.30 AM, we both husband and
wife got into our car with the said number and started back home from V
MAX. I was driving the car and my wife Lipsi was sitting in the front seat
with me. When we reached a little before Rurka Chowk from bypass
Dehlon, I stopped the car and got out of the car to urinate. It was 12:45
AM. Then a car stopped from behind, from which about 5/6 people got out.
Those people first hit me on my left leg with an iron rod and the other
person grabbed me and put a cloth on my mouth very tightly and closed my
mouth. After that, I fainted. Then, after about 15/20 minutes, I felt better
and saw that my car was not on the road. So started shouting my wife's
name loudly, then I heard my wife's voice, then I reached the same place
from where my wife's voice came, but when I reached there. I saw that my
wife was lying on the road in a seriously injured condition. So I checked my
wife, who had marks of sharp weapons on her head, face and other parts of
her body. and my wife's body was covered in blood, then I started shouting
loudly for help. My mobile phone, which had SIM numbers 8879000066 and
62841-54256, brand Samsung, and my wife's mobile phone, brand Apple,
which had SIM 6284371151 , in the car, had also been taken by the said
person. After a long time, a police vehicle came and took me and my wife
Lipsi to Civil Hospital Dehlon for treatment, where seeing the serious
condition of my wife, they sent me to DMC Hospital Ludhiana, then an
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CRM-M-39530-2025 (O&M)and other connected cases 4
ambulance brought my wife to DMC Hospital Ludhiana, where during the
treatment my wife Lipsi died. I could not see the number plate, make,
colour, etc. of the car in which the said person had come. When I checked
later, the gold chain worn around my neck, the gold bracelet worn on my
hand, the gold bangles worn on Lipsi's arm, the gold earrings worn in her
ears, the gold chain worn around her neck and the gold mangalsutra worn
around her neck were also missing, which were also taken by the said
person. My wife's body is lying in the morgue of DMC Hospital Ludhiana.
Today I have written my above statement to you at DMC Hospital
Ludhiana. I am a claimant and legal action should be taken against the
above-mentioned person. SD/- ANOKH MITTAL.”
6. Broadly speaking, during the intervening night of 15/16.02.2025,
when deceased-Lipsi @ Manvi Mittal and her husband Anokh Mittal were
together in their car bearing registration No. PB-10-DE-8881 at around 12.45
a.m., when Anokh Mittal had first got out from the car and thereafter went for
urination, allegedly 5/6 assailants came out of the car and firstly gave a hit of
iron rod on the left leg and other one grabbed him and put a cloth on the
mouth and closely tied him. After 15/20 minutes, when he regained
consciousness found that his wife is missing and even car is not on the road.
He further explained that his own mobile phone having Sim No. 8879000066
and 6284154256, brand Samsung, and of his wife's mobile phone, brand
Apple, which had SIM 6284371151, were also taken away by 5-6 accused.
During investigation it was found that complainant-Anokh Mittal
had some extra marital relations with one Pratiksha Anand @ Preeti
(petitioner in CRM-M-54141-2025) and by hatching criminal conspiracy with
her, accused-Anokh Mittal got his wife Lipsi @ Manvi Mittal murdered
REENA
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CRM-M-39530-2025 (O&M)and other connected cases 5
through some contract killers.
After completing the investigation, it was found that it was the
complainant-Anokh Mittal himself, at whose instance murder is got done and
thereafter other accused including Anokh Mittal were arrested in this case.
There are total 07 accused in the case namely – (i) Anokh Mittal, (ii) Partiksha
Anand @ Preeti, (iii) Gurpreet Singh @ Gopi @ Tony @ Tani (iv) Sonu
Singh @ Sonu, (v) Gurdeep Singh @ Mann, (vi) Sagardeep Singh @ Sethi
and (vii) Amritpal Singh @ Bali.
7. On the previous date of hearing, it was disclosed by learned State
counsel that after arrest of the accused persons, their mobile phones were also
recovered from them. Apart this, in the status report, it was also reported that
out of 29 prosecution witnesses, 07 prosecution witnesses have already been
examined including the star witnesses i.e. relations of the deceased namely
Money Aggarwal, Gagan Lamba and Abhishek Garg (subsequently made
complainant).
8. I have considered the submissions addressed by respective
counsel for the parties and gone through the record.
9. On issuing directions by this Court, State again filed reply dated
13.10.2026. However, on deep examination of the status report, it is found
that prosecution has placed reliance more on the alleged role played by the
accused in committing of the crime, which appears to be based upon the
disclosure statements of the accused/co-accused in the case. Though the
status report runs into around 200 pages but no where it is disclosed that what
is the evidence collected after recovery of the mobile phones from each of the
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CRM-M-39530-2025 (O&M)and other connected cases 6
accused by the prosecution. Unless such evidence is available on record or
such evidence is collected during investigation, this Court can not continue
with the detention of the accused only on the basis of though serious but bald
allegations. There are 21 more witnesses, who are yet to be examined.
10. Accordingly, the present petitions are allowed. Petitioners
namely, Sagardeep Singh @ Sethi (in CRM-M-39530-2025), Partiksha Anand
@ Preeti (in CRM-M-54141-2025) and Gurpreet Singh @ Gopi @ Tony @
Tani (in CRM-M-52489-2026) are ordered to be released on bail, subject to
their furnishing bail/surety bonds to the satisfaction of the learned trial
Court/Chief Judicial Magistrate/Illaqa Magistrate/Duty Magistrate concerned,
if not required in any other case.
11. However, before parting with the order, the Commissioner of
Police, Ludhiana, is directed to look into the aspect as to why the electronic
evidence, particularly with regard to the location of the accused persons
involved in the case, was not verified through CAP, CDRs, CCTV footage
and other relevant electronic records.
The CCTV footage, if available, showing the presence of the
accused persons along with the deceased, as well as accused Anokh Mittal,
who admittedly was present at the place of occurrence along with his wife at
the relevant time, assumes significance. Further, the calls received by accused
Anokh Mittal or made by him immediately prior to his reaching the place of
occurrence may constitute material evidence for ascertaining the actual
perpetrator of the crime. The said aspect, therefore, requires due consideration
and verification by the investigating agency.
REENA
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CRM-M-39530-2025 (O&M)and other connected cases 7
Though it is not for the Court to direct the investigating agency to
conduct an investigation in a particular direction, nor can such a direction
ordinarily be sought as a matter of right by the complainant or the victim, yet,
having regard to the conduct of the Investigating Officer and the manner in
which the investigation has been conducted, it becomes imperative for the
Court, particularly a Constitutional Court, to issue appropriate directions to
ensure that justice is imparted to all concerned with the proceedings.
After all, the matter concerns the loss of a human life, that too, of
Lipsi @ Manvi Mittal, the wife of accused Anokh Mittal himself, who is
alleged to have betrayed his life partner in a most deceitful manner.
12. It is clarified that the aforesaid observations shall not be
construed as an expression of opinion on the merits of the case. However, if
the aforesaid aspects have not been investigated, the same shall be duly
examined and, if so warranted, further investigation, even afresh, shall be
undertaken in accordance with law. It cannot be disputed that the relevant
electronic evidence, if preserved, would pertain to the very time when the
murder of the deceased Lipsi @ Manvi Mittal was committed and may,
therefore, have significant evidentiary value.
13. A copy of this order be forwarded to the Commissioner of Police,
Ludhiana, for necessary action and compliance.
14. For the limited purpose of apprising this Court of the action taken
in pursuance of the aforesaid directions, list the present petitions on
15.12.2026.
REENA
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CRM-M-39530-2025 (O&M)and other connected cases 8
15. With the aforementioned observations, the petitions stand
disposed of.
Pending application(s), if any, stand disposed of.
16. A photocopy of this order be placed on the files of other
connected cases.
11.11.2026 (SANJAY VASHISTH)
reena
JUDGE
Whether speaking/reasoned: Yes/No
Whether Reportable: Yes/No
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