E-Paper
CBI court takes exception as accused ASI escorts Bhullar during hearing
The court noted that ASI Sher Singh, who produced Bhullar from Model Jail, Chandigarh, before the court, is himself facing trial in a CBI case pending before the same court titled CBI versus Sher Singh & Anr.
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The special CBI court on Thursday took exception to an accused in another CBI case being deployed as a guard to produce suspended Punjab Police deputy inspector general (DIG) Harcharan Singh Bhullar before the court, directing the Chandigarh SSP to look into the matter and ensure that appropriate personnel are deputed for such duties in future.
The court noted that ASI Sher Singh, who produced Bhullar from Model Jail, Chandigarh, before the court, is himself facing trial in a CBI case pending before the same court titled CBI versus Sher Singh & Anr. “Such arrangements of guard provided by the quarter concerned to produce the accused of a high-profile case before this court is not acceptable,” special judge Bhawna Jain observed in the order.
The court directed that a copy of the order be sent in a sealed envelope to the Chandigarh SSP, asking him to look into the matter so that the police staff remain vigilant while deputing appropriate guards to produce accused persons in custody before the court in future. A copy was also forwarded to the head of branch, CBI, ACB, Chandigarh, for necessary action.
Meanwhile, the court recorded the further examination-in-chief of prosecution witness Akash Batta at length in the case against Bhullar and co-accused Kirshanu Sharda. The witness’s examination was deferred at his request after he said he was tired and exhausted. He was directed to appear again on October 5, the date already fixed for recording his testimony.
On the CBI’s request, the court also summoned ASI Local Rank Satpal Singh from the camp office of DIG Ropar Range in Mohali for the next hearing. He has been directed to produce the original public entry register for the period from February 6, 2025, to September 24, 2025. The court also directed that a copy of the production-cum-seizure memo dated November 19, 2025, be annexed with the process issued to the witness.
Both Bhullar and Sharda, who were physically produced before the court and are in judicial custody, were ordered to remain in custody and produced before the court on the next date.
