The court of additional sessions judge, Panchkula, dismissed the anticipatory bail applications of five women from Punjab accused of stealing a three-tola gold bangle from a devotee during a bhandara at the Mansa Devi temple. MDC police had registered the case on March 27 under Sections 305 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. (HT File)The accused include 81-year-old Lachhmi Kaur of Sangrur, 66-year-old Kelo Kaur of Barnala, 64-year-old Mukhtiar Kaur, 59-year-old Karamjeet Kaur alias Guddi, and 37-year-old Labhpreet Kaur alias Reena, all from Sangrur district.In an observation, the court said that “Granting anticipatory bail to such persons would not be in the interest of justice as it will be like promoting criminal tendencies in society and giving a fillip to unlawful activities.”Rejecting the bail plea, the court also gave significant weight to the CCTV footage, observing that the petitioners were clearly visible while committing the theft. The judge further held that custodial interrogation was necessary to ascertain the true facts of the case. Consequently, all five women were denied the discretionary relief of anticipatory bail in the order dated June 25.MDC police had registered the case on March 27 under Sections 305 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. According to complainant Tarsem Chand, the theft occurred on March 26 while his wife Santosh Rani was offering food to devotees at the Patiala Temple inside the Mansa Devi complex. She suddenly noticed that one of her gold bangles had been cut and stolen, and the couple suspected the women standing behind them.The defence argued that the FIR was lodged with a delay of 26 hours and that the women had been falsely implicated. However, the prosecution opposed the plea, saying the accused were involved in a serious offence and that one of them, Kelo Kaur, was already facing trial in another theft case registered at Morinda.