CBI opposes DIG Bhullar’s plea to defreeze all bank accounts

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday opposed a plea of suspended DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar related to defreezing of his bank accounts.While submitting the reply before the CBI Court, Chandigarh, central agency objected to defreezing of 15 bank accounts opened in the name of Bhullar, his father and firms. However, the CBI said it had no issues with defreezing of five accounts belonging to his family members.

The counsel of Bhullar said freezing of all accounts, including his family members, was causing great hardship as it became difficult to meet daily and agricultural expenses.

Meanwhile, Bhullar and his aide Krishanu Sharda appeared before the CBI court through a video-conferencing. The CBI moved an application seeking judicial custody of Bhullar and Sharda for another 14 days. While observing that there were reasonable grounds for remand, the CBI court sent the accused to judicial custody till December 4.

The CBI arrested Bhullar and Sharda on October 16 on a complaint of Naresh Batta, a Mandi Gobindgarh-based scrap dealer.

According to an FIR, Bhullar was allegedly seeking bribe from the complainant through Sharda. The complainant alleged that Bhullar demanded a bribe of Rs 8 lakh through a middleman to settle an FIR lodged at the Sirhind police station.