The problems of suspended Punjab Police DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar and co-accused Krishanu Sharda are likely to increase as the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation have stepped up their investigation in a bribery case in Chandigarh and as per reports officials said raids were carried out at 11 locations including Bhullar’s house in Chandigarh as part of the ongoing probe.
The case may widen further as the ED is likely to send notices to some Punjab IAS and IPS officers and call them for questioning and this comes after a special court allowed a preliminary enquiry (PE) request filed by the CBI giving a green signal for deeper investigation.
In another development the CBI special court rejected a plea filed by Bhullar and Sharda in which they had challenged the court’s earlier order to take notice of the case and the court stood by its decision. According to sources the investigating agency has found new and important evidence and this evidence points towards the possible involvement of some other Punjab IAS and IPS officers while the CBI has now started a preliminary enquiry against unknown officials.
The accused had opposed the CBI’s request in court an their lawyers argued that the agency’s application was not legally valid and went beyond its powers and they also said there were no proper grounds for further action and warned that it could affect the rights of the accused while on the other hand the CBI told the court that fresh evidence including electronic records and documents has come to light and needs proper investigation.
After hearing both sides the court agreed with the CBI and allowed the agency to move ahead with further probe in the case.