CBI fails to file challan, co-accused gets bail

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 22

As the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) failed to file a challan in a bribery case involving an Inspector General (IG) in a stipulated time, the alleged middleman in the case, Ashok Goyal, has been granted default bail by the court. Goyal, the lone arrest in the case, was nabbed on August 16. However, even after 60 days, the CBI failed to submit a challan in the court.

It is learnt that the then IG, Ferozepur range, Gurinder Dhillon, joined the probe last week. He has, however, refused to give voice samples to the CBI. The next date of hearing in the case is October 30 in the CBI court here.

Dhillon was transferred as the IG (Human Rights) in August, days after the case came to the fore. An SIT, headed by Dhillon, is probing the 2012 patwari frame-up case, in which former SSP Shiv Kumar Sharma and five other police officials are accused. In the complaint dated August 13, Sharma had accused Goyal of demanding a bribe of Rs 22 lakh on Dhillon’s behalf to settle the case.

Goyal was arrested on August 16 for accepting Rs 10 lakh allegedly on behalf of Dhillon. It was alleged that the bribe was being demanded from the complainant for diluting the case and for returning the seized documents and articles.