Impersonation case: HC declines anticipatory bail to Mohali woman

The FIR in the case was registered on December 30 at Mataur police station in Mohali under the charges of cheating by impersonation and criminal conspiracy against Seema Rani, the candidate who was to take constable recruitment exam in Punjab

The Punjab and Haryana high court has dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of a woman who was accused of appearing on behalf of her sister in a constable recruitment exam in Punjab.

The high court bench of justice Arvind Singh Sangwan dismissed the plea observing that nature of allegations was ‘very serious’ and does not merit interim protection. (Image for representational purpose)

The FIR in the case was registered on December 30 at Mataur police station in Mohali under the charges of cheating by impersonation and criminal conspiracy against Seema Rani, the candidate.

Petitioner Shimla Devi’s name had cropped up during investigation. It was alleged that she had appeared in place of her sister Seema Rani, who was a candidate and qualified the written test. The allegations were that neither the biometric nor photograph of the candidate matched, who was appearing at the time of physical test.

She had approached high court for bail claiming that she was only a matriculate and there was no evidence that she had appeared in place of her sister.

State’s counsel had claimed that not only the evidence of biometric and physical verification of the documents proved that the petitioner had appeared in place of her sister, but also when the candidate was arrested, she admitted of impersonation. The high court bench of justice Arvind Singh Sangwan dismissed the plea observing that nature of allegations was ‘very serious’ and does not merit interim protection.