Supreme Court – Daily Orders
Shiv Lal @ Sholi vs State Of Punjab on 16 February, 2026
Author: Aravind Kumar
Bench: Aravind Kumar
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. OF 2026
(@SLP(CRL.) NO.19078 OF 2025)
SHIV LAL @ SHOLI ..... APPELLANT
VERSUS
STATE OF PUNJAB ..... RESPONDENT
WITH
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. OF 2026
(@SLP(CRL.) NO.1401 OF 2026)
AMIT DODA ..... APPELLANT
VERSUS
STATE OF PUNJAB ..... RESPONDENT
O R D E R
1. Heard.
2. Leave granted.
Signature Not Verified
Digitally signed by
RASHI GUPTA
Date: 2026.02.19
17:39:47 IST 1 SLP(CRL.) NO.19078 OF 2025
Reason:
3. Facts in nutshell which has led to the filing of these
appeals are as under :
On 11.12.2015, a violent incident took place at a
farmhouse in village Ramsara, District Fazilka, Punjab,
which resulted in murder of Bhim Taank and grievous injuries
being sustained by Gurjant Singh alias Janta. The said Bhim
Taank was Ex-President of Pick-up Vehicle Union and in the
said incident he was brutally assaulted, viz., both his
hands, wrists and both legs at the ankles were chopped off
using sharp-edged weapons, which led to his death. Gurjant
Singh alias Janta, who sustained severe injuries, survived
because of medical treatment, though amputation of his right
hand took place and had also suffered other multiple
injuries.
4. According to the prosecution, the said incident was
preceded by a phone call from Harpreet Singh alias Harry
asking Gurjant Singh asking him to come to the farmhouse of
Shiv Lal alongwith Bhim Taank for a compromise meeting
involving Rajpreet Singh alias Raja and Wazir Singh. On
their arrival, these two persons who were allegedly called
were attacked by the group with sharp edged weapons and
2 SLP(CRL.) NO.19078 OF 2025
caused grievous injuries. Hence, Ranjeet Singh alias Rana,
brother of Gurjant Singh lodged a complaint, which came to
be registered as FIR No.120/2015 at Police Station Bahav
Wala for the offence puishable under Sections 302, 307, 326,
323, 148, 149, 201, 115 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code,
1860 (IPC, 1860) read with Section 3(2)(v) of the Scheduled
Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act,
1989 (SCST Act, 1989).
5. It requires to be noted at this stage itself that in the
initial FIR filed the name of the one of the appellants
herein i.e. Amit Doda, did not figure and only after
recording the supplementary statement, whereunder, it was
alleged that he and his uncle Shiv Lal Doda alias Sholi had
hatched a criminal conspiracy to commit the offence, he was
arraigned as an accused.
6. After completing investigation, chargesheet came to be
filed. Learned Sessions Judge, after evaluating the evidence
by judgment dated 08.08.2019 convicted the accused persons
including the appellants herein and sentenced them to life
imprisonment alongwith the other terms of the imprisonment
3 SLP(CRL.) NO.19078 OF 2025
and imposition of fine.
7. Being aggrieved by the same, appeals have been filed and
the same are pending before the jurisdictional High Court.
8. Having heard the learned counsel appearing for the
parties, and after bestowing our careful attention to the
rival contentions raised at the Bar and on perusal of the
records, we notice that for the following persons, the High
Court has suspended the sentence and granted bail:
NAME OF THE ACCUSED PERIOD UNDERGONE
Vivek @Vicky (A10) 8 months and 12 days
Dhanraj Dhana (A23) 4 years 7 months and 21 days
Amarjeet S Gakhu (A11) 4 years 9 months and 20 days
Mandeep @ Monu (A14) 4 years 11 months and 15 days
Palvinder S. Jagu (A21) 2 years 9 months and 29 days
Rajinder Kumar (A16) 5 years 8 months and 25 days
Sukhjeet Singh (A13) 5 years 8 months and 25 days
Gurpreet Singh (A15) 4 years 10 months and 16 day
Rajwinder Raju (A19) 5 years 1 months and 25 days
Ashwani Kumar (A9) 5 years 2 months and 10 days
Sunil Kumar (A20) 5 years 3 months and 28 days
Simran Deep Singh 4 years 3 months and 28 days
Sandeep Singh (A18) 2 years 10 months and 27 days
Sunny Puladu (A22) 6 years 6 months and 23 days4 SLP(CRL.) NO.19078 OF 2025
9. It is to be noted that the sentence imposed on the main
accused i.e. Rajpreet Singh (A24) (one of the accused
persons) has also been enlarged on bail by the High Court
taking note of the fact that he had completed seven years
five days of conviction. However, in the case of the
appellants herein, the prayer has been rejected by the High
Court.
10. In the light of statement having been made that one of
the appellants herein i.e. Shiv Lal, who owned the farmhouse
in which incident took place, was suffering from serious
medical ailments, we had directed by our order dated
07.01.2026, that he should be examined by the medical Board
of PGIMER, Chandigarh, and a report to be sent to this Court
in a sealed cover. Today, learned counsel appearing for the
State of Punjab has tendered a sealed cover, which is said
to contain the medical report relating to evaluation made on
examination of Shiv Lal. The same has been opened and it has
been found that Shiv Lal has been suffering from multiple
disease and there has been a necessity for surgical
intervention, but same has been deffered due to cardiac
issues and the patient (Shiv Lal) being unfit due to medical
5 SLP(CRL.) NO.19078 OF 2025
comorbidities, which he is suffering from.
11. We also take note of the fact that appellant-Shiv Lal
has totally undergone 10 years 7 months 17 days imprisonment
with remission, and 8 years 6 months 7 days without
remission. The appeal having being listed for hearing on
22.04.2026, the chances of same being disposed on the next
date, being bleak, we are persuaded to accept the plea of
the learned counsel for the appellant to release the
appellant on bail by suspending the sentence and of course
with strictest conditions to be imposed upon him not only in
the interest of the witnesses who have deposed, but also in
his own interest.
12. The co-accused, namely, Amit Doda, was not initially
named in the FIR, it is only based on the supplementary
statement furnished by the witnesses, he has been roped in
and convicted for the offences punishable under Section 120B
read with Section 302 IPC. As to his actual role played by
him in the conspiracy is an issue which will have to be
examined by High Court, since the prime accused Shiv Lal
said to be his uncle, the role played by both in hatching
6 SLP(CRL.) NO.19078 OF 2025
such conspiracy, is an issue which has to be evaluated by
the appellate court on re-appreciation of evidence.
13. We also notice that the said Amit Doda has also
undergone sentence of more than eight years as on date. As
such, he would also be entitled for the relief of being
enlarged on bail by suspending the sentence and on
imposition of strict conditions.
14. Hence, we allow the appeals. Set aside the impugned
orders and direct the appellants be released on bail and the
sentence imposed on them by the learned Sessions Judge dated
08.08.2019 in CIS No. SC-32/2016 stands suspended and they
are ordered to be enlarged on bail on such terms and
conditions as the jurisdictional Sessions Court may impose,
including the following conditions:
(i) The appellants shall not leave the jurisdiction
of Fazilka, Punjab, till the disposal of the
appeals without expressed permission of the
jurisdictional Sessions Court;
(ii) They shall not indulge in any activities of
threatening the witnesses or coercing them in any
manner whatsoever;
(iii) They shall not indulge in any criminal acts
and in the event of even a single FIR being
registered against them for any offence, the7 SLP(CRL.) NO.19078 OF 2025
prosecution would be at liberty to seek for
cancellation of bail granted by this court by
filing an appropriate application before the
jurisdictional Sessions Court;
(iv) they shall appear before the jurisdictional
Investigating Officer (IO) once in a month and mark
their attendance till disposal of the appeals
before the High Court.
15. The aforestated conditions would be in addition to the
conditions that may be imposed by the jurisdictional
Sessions Court.
16. Appeals are allowed. Pending application(s), if any,
shall stand disposed of. Medical report is ordered to be re-
sealed and kept in file.
………………J.
(ARAVIND KUMAR)
………………J.
(PRASANNA B. VARALE)
New Delhi;
February 16, 2026.
8 SLP(CRL.) NO.19078 OF 2025
ITEM NO.41 COURT NO.15 SECTION II-B
S U P R E M E C O U R T O F I N D I A
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Petition(s) for Special Leave to Appeal (Crl.) No.19078/2025
[Arising out of impugned final judgment and order dated 15-
10-2025 in CRM No. 5823/2024 passed by the High Court of
Punjab & Haryana at Chandigarh]
SHIV LAL @ SHOLI Petitioner(s)
VERSUS
STATE OF PUNJAB Respondent(s)
IA No. 305659/2025 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T.
IA No. 319025/2025 – PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL
DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES
WITH
SLP(Crl) No. 1401/2026 (II-B)
IA No. 13012/2026 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T.
IA No. 13015/2026 – PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL
DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES
Date : 16-02-2026 These matters were called on for hearing
today.
CORAM : HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE ARAVIND KUMAR
HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PRASANNA B. VARALE
For Petitioner(s) :Mr. Arvind Singh Sangwan, Sr. Adv.
Ms. Mrinal Kanwar, AOR
Ms. Monika Anand, Adv.
Mr. Shantanu Singh Sangwan, Adv.
Mr. Dinesh Kumar Chouhan, Adv.
Mr. Vaibhav Rajsingh Rathore, Adv.
Mrs. Gursharan Kaur Mann, Sr. Adv.
Mr. Tabrez Malawat, Adv.
9 SLP(CRL.) NO.19078 OF 2025
Mr. Sourajit Sarkar, Adv.
Mr. Syed Hamza, Adv.
Ms. Rupali Jain, Adv.
Mr. Abhaya Nath Das, Adv.
Mr. Hitesh C Soni, Adv.
Ms. Vaishali H Soni, Adv.
Ms. Krishnika Chatterjee, Adv.
Mr. Satish Kumar, AOR
For Respondent(s) : Ms. Nupur Kumar, AOR
Mr. Mohd Irshad, A.A.G.
Mr. Siddhant Sharma, AOR
UPON hearing the counsel the Court made the following
O R D E R
1. Leave granted.
2. Appeals are allowed in terms of the Signed
Order placed on the file.
3. Pending application(s), if any, shall stand
disposed of.
(RASHI GUPTA) (AVGV RAMU)
COURT MASTER (SH) COURT MASTER (NSH)
10 SLP(CRL.) NO.19078 OF 2025
