Premium

Fake bail sureties: Punjab and Haryana HC pulls up states for non-compliance, impleads Registrar General

Plea says 2024 directions on biometric verification remain ignored across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh despite clear court orders

4 min readNov 17, 2025 07:25 PM IST

The petition argues that despite repeated judicial directions and specific rules on bail, the problem persists and weakens the justice system.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court impleaded its Registrar General as a respondent and issued notice in a public interest litigation seeking full implementation of Aadhaar-based biometric verification for bail sureties to curb the use of fake identities and bonds in district courts.

In the order uploaded on Monday, Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry also issued notices to Punjab, Haryana, the Union Territory of Chandigarh, UIDAI and NIC after their representatives sought time to respond.

The PIL, filed in person on August 14 by Chandigarh-based Advocate Kanwar Pahul Singh, flags a growing problem of fake identities and surety bail bonds in criminal cases across district courts in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. The petition argues that despite repeated judicial directions and specific rules on bail, the problem persists and weakens the justice system.

A central plank of the plea is a May 10, 2024, order of a single bench in Sharanjit Singh Suraj vs State of Punjab and others, which had taken “strong note” of the misuse of fake sureties. The order directed Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to apply for Aadhaar authentication services in all court complexes within 30 days, and required the Centre to approve and provide equipment within 60 days. The system, including hardware and software for biometric check, was to become fully operational within four months.

Once functional, courts were to collect full identity details including Aadhaar cards from sureties, take consent for verification, and have magistrates confirm Aadhaar details of accused persons and sureties. For first-time offenders accused of offences punishable with less than seven years, courts were asked to follow Supreme Court guidelines from the Hussainara Khatoon case and avoid insisting on sureties if basic parameters were met after Aadhaar verification.

The 2024 order had also directed the adoption of a “surety module” integrating Aadhaar with immovable-property details offered as security, cross-verification across databases, and quarterly inspections of surety registers by principal district judges and chief judicial magistrates. The Registrar General was asked to issue circulars and frame rules to ensure uniform implementation.

However, the current petition says these directions remain “wholly unimplemented” more than 17 months later. To verify this, the petitioner filed RTI applications across several districts between July 26 and August 13, 2025.

Story continues below this ad

Replies from courts in Amritsar, SBS Nagar, Gurdaspur and Rupnagar in Punjab; Karnal, Gurugram, Bathinda and Kurukshetra in Haryana; and Sangrur in Punjab confirmed that no Aadhaar authentication services or biometric hardware had been installed. This, the petition states, shows “clear non-compliance” with the high court’s binding directions.

The plea cites a June 11, 2025, news report on Khanna police busting a gang that had submitted fake bail bonds in nearly 25 cases, underscoring the continuing risks. The petitioner also notes that officials failed to respond to his representation despite the 60-day statutory limit.

The petition states that because the 2024 directions were issued in regular bail matters—where applicants had no reason to pursue compliance after securing release—no steps such as contempt proceedings were initiated. With no one monitoring the systemic issue, the petitioner says he was compelled to approach the court through this PIL.

The petitioner, a member of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana, argues that the failure to act not only aids crime but erodes public confidence in the judicial process. He has sought immediate installation of the required infrastructure, strict enforcement of the 2024 guidelines, contempt proceedings against erring officials, and court-monitored progress reports from the Registrar General with periodic audits of surety registers.

The matter will be heard next on December 16.

Manraj Grewal Sharma

Manraj Grewal Sharma is a senior journalist and the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Chandigarh, where she leads the newspaper’s coverage of north India’s most politically and institutionally significant regions. From Punjab and Haryana to Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, she oversees reporting at the intersection of governance, law, politics and society. She also reports on the diaspora, especially in Canada and the US. With a career spanning journalism across several countries, academia and international development, Manraj brings a rare depth of perspective to regional reporting. She is widely regarded as a leading chronicler of Punjab’s contemporary history and socio-political evolution, particularly its long shadow of militancy, federal tensions and identity politics. Her book, Dreams after Darkness, remains a definitive account of the militancy years and their enduring aftermath. Professional Background & Expertise A gold medalist in mass communication and a post-graduate in English literature, Manraj has a multifaceted career spanning journalism, academia, and international development. She was also awarded a fellowship by National Foundation of India and did several in-depth pieces on Manipur. Internationally, she has reported from Israel, US, UK, Myanmar, and Mauritius Her key focus areas include: Regional Politics, History, Agriculture, Diaspora, and Security. Of late, she has started focusing on Legal & Judicial Affairs: Much of her recent work involves reporting on high-stakes cases in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, ranging from environmental policy to civil rights. International Consulting: She previously served as a consulting editor for the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network and a publishing consultant for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila. Academia: For five years, she was the managing editor of Gender, Technology and Development, a peer-reviewed international journal at the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage focuses heavily on judicial interventions and regional governance: 1. Environment & Governance "‘NGT can’t test legality of policy’: HC hears challenge to Punjab’s ‘Green Habitat’ plan" (Dec 22, 2025): Covering a critical legal battle over whether the National Green Tribunal has the authority to strike down a state policy regularizing farmhouses on delisted forest land. "High court pulls up Punjab poll panel over audio clip probe" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on judicial concerns regarding the transparency and fairness of local body elections. 2. Legal Rights & Social Welfare "HC issues notice to Punjab, Haryana over delay in building old age homes" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on a contempt petition against top officials for failing to establish government-run homes for the elderly as promised in 2019. "Victims can appeal acquittals in sessions court without seeking special leave" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant procedural shift in criminal law following a Supreme Court ruling. "HC upholds benefits for Punjab FCI officer acquitted in 20-year-old bribery case" (Dec 19, 2025): A report on the concept of "honourable acquittal" and its impact on employee benefits. 3. Human Rights & Identity "As Punjab denies parole to MP Amritpal Singh, HC asks it to submit ‘foundational material’" (Dec 1, 2025): Covering the legal proceedings regarding the radical preacher and sitting MP's request to attend Parliament. "Protecting life paramount: HC backs Muslim woman in live-in after verbal divorce" (Nov 6, 2025): Analyzing judicial protections for personal liberty in the context of traditional practices. Signature Beats Manraj is recognized for her ability to decode complex judicial rulings and relate them to the everyday lives of citizens. Whether it is a 30-year-old land battle in Fazilka or the political implications of Kangana Ranaut’s candidacy in Mandi, her writing provides deep historical and regional context. Contact @grewal_sharma on X manrajgrewalsharma on Instagram ... Read More