Punjab domestic help who ‘faked’ being adopted at 3 by boss to ‘steal’ house gets bail

4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jul 14, 2026 03:01 PM IST

The man alleged that he was adopted by his late employer when he was three years old. (AI-generated image)

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted bail to a man accused of forging documents to claim to be a legal heir of his late employer, whom he said had adopted him when he was three years old. It held that the man was in custody since March and that ‘bail is the rule and jail is an exception’.

Justice Manisha Batra observed that the question of whether the man had committed the offence would be decided only after the trial is completed and the evidence is examined.

“It is a well-settled proposition of law that pre-trial incarceration should not be a replica of post-conviction sentencing, and that bail is the rule and jail is an exception. The object of jail is to secure the appearance of the accused during trial, and it cannot be preventive or punitive,” the July 10 order said.

The FIR was lodged by the complainant, who alleged that the petitioner had fraudulently transferred his sister-in-law’s property in his name. The complainant claimed that after her death, the family found missing items from her house, including a CCTV camera, and following which an FIR was registered against the petitioner, an employed servant of his late sister-in-law.

Justice Manisha Batra granted bail to a man accused of forging adoption papers.

The petitioner relied on documents showing that the house had been transferred to his name and later filed a succession petition claiming to be the late woman’s legal heir. Subsequently, the complainant alleged that the documents produced by him were forged and fabricated.

During the investigation, the police revealed that a conveyance deed was prepared based on an affidavit and the deceased’s death certificate, and the man relied on an alleged adoption deed. The police alleged that the man had prepared forged and fabricated documents for his unlawful gain. He was arrested on March 26, 2026, and the investigation had since been concluded.

Advocate Sushil Jain, appearing for the man, submitted that he had been falsely implicated in this case. He was taken in adoption by the deceased in the year 1990 and was always treated as her son, and had annexed supporting documents.

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It was contended that he had been in custody since March 26, 2026, and no useful purpose would be served by detaining him in custody anymore. His antecedents are clean. It was, therefore, argued that he deserved to be granted bail.

Advocate Anil Rathee, appearing for the state, argued that the allegations against the man were serious in nature, with dishonest intention and to usurp the property left by the late woman, and therefore, stressed that the man did not deserve to be allowed.

‘Bail granted’

The court observed that the man was accused of forging and fabricating documents to establish his claim of being the legal heir of the late woman. However, whether he actually committed the offence would be decided after examining the evidence during trial.

The court noted that the investigation was concluded, and there was no reason for the man’s continued custody, as the trial was unlikely to be completed soon. It held that it was settled law that pre-trial detention cannot be used as punishment and that bail should be the rule while jail is an exception. In the view of the material on record, the court granted bail to the man on furnishing personal and surety bonds.

Somya Panwar works with the Legal Desk at The Indian Express, where she covers the various High Courts across the country and the Supreme Court of India. Her writing is driven by a deep interest in how law influences society, particularly in areas of gender, feminism, and women’s rights.

She is especially drawn to stories that examine questions of equality, autonomy, and social justice through the lens of the courts. Her work aims to make complex legal developments accessible, contextual, and relevant to everyday readers, with a focus on explaining what court decisions mean beyond legal jargon and how they shape public life.

Alongside reporting, she manages the social media presence for Indian Express Legal, where she designs and curates posts using her understanding of digital trends, audience behaviour, and visual communication. Combining legal insight with strategic content design, she works on building engagement and expanding the desk’s digital reach.

Somya holds a B.A. LL.B and a Master’s degree in Journalism. Before moving fully into media, she gained experience in litigation and briefly worked in corporate, giving her reporting a strong foundation. ... Read More

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Punjab and Haryana High Court