A special NIA court in Mohali has denied interim bail to an accused, Maninder Singh alias Bobby, in a case involving a grenade attack and illegal firearms after he sought 10 days’ release to attend his sister’s wedding.
The case pertains to a grenade attack at the residence of Navdeep Singh, alias Roger Sandhu, in Jalandhar on the intervening night of March 15 and 16, 2025. Initially registered by the Punjab Police, the case was later taken over by the NIA. According to the case, Pakistan national gangster Shahzad Bhatti had threatened to kill Navdeep and his family before a grenade was thrown into his balcony.
The accused had sought bail from September 13 to 22, saying he needed to attend the marriage and perform customary ceremonies. His lawyers also told the court that his brother, who lives in Europe, would be unable to attend the wedding, leaving the accused as the only family member available to perform the ceremonies.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) opposed the plea, arguing that the accused’s sister’s marriage did not amount to an exceptional circumstance warranting interim bail. The agency also told the court that the accused had not disclosed his criminal antecedents and was involved in 11 other criminal cases in Punjab.
{{/usCountry}}The National Investigation Agency (NIA) opposed the plea, arguing that the accused’s sister’s marriage did not amount to an exceptional circumstance warranting interim bail. The agency also told the court that the accused had not disclosed his criminal antecedents and was involved in 11 other criminal cases in Punjab.
{{/usCountry}}Special judge Dinesh Kumar Wadhwa dismissed the application, observing that the accused had failed to show that his presence was indispensable for the wedding.
The court also noted the allegations against the accused in the present case. According to the NIA, the accused had an active role in procuring, storing, and delivering illegal firearms and ammunition.
The agency alleged that he used a foreign WhatsApp number in February 2025 to direct another accused to collect three .32-bore pistols, five magazines and live ammunition near Lidhra Bridge on Kartarpur Road in Jalandhar.
The NIA further alleged that he later directed another accused to deliver the weapons to two other accused near Jandu Singha on March 8, 2025. It also alleged that he coordinated the retrieval of a pistol and three magazines between March 13 and 15.
The court noted that the investigation relied on call detail records, tower-location analysis, motorcycle tracking, disclosure statements and WhatsApp communications.
The accused has been booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Explosive Substances Act, Arms Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The court said his alleged criminal antecedents and the accusations in the present case raised the possibility of him fleeing from the process of law or intimidating witnesses. It dismissed the interim bail plea and clarified that its observations would not affect the trial.