SOM NATH MEHTA vs STATE OF PUNJAB

107 IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH CRM-M-29845-2026 DECIDED ON: 22.05.2026 SOM NATH MEHTA .....PETITIONER VERSUS STATE OF PUNJAB .....RESPONDENT CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY VASHISTH. Present: Ms. Supriya Garg, Advocate, for the petitioner. SANJAY VASHISTH, J (ORAL) 1. Present 3rd petition has been filed by the petitioner, seeking grant of anticipatory bail, in case, FIR No.146, dated 27.07.2024, under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of IPC (corresponding to sections 318(4), 338, 336(3), 340(2), 61(2) of BNS, 2023), registered at Police Station Bhikhi, District Mansa. 2. FIR in the present case was registered on 27.07.2024 alleging that petitioner, along with other co-accused, forged the signatures of the original members of the society in order to fabricate resolutions and resignation letters. These forged documents were subsequently presented before Registrar of Societies, Mansa, with the intent to usurp the property of the society. Significantly, one of the forged documents purportedly bears the signature of a member who had passed away in the year 2022, rendering it impossible for him to have signed any document in 2024. On the basis of these f