PU pension scam: Bagga’s brother-in-law gets bail

A local court on Tuesday granted bail to Baljinder Singh, one of the accused and brother-in-law of prime accused Pooja Bagga, in Panjab University pension cell scam.

A local court on Tuesday granted bail to Baljinder Singh, one of the accused and brother-in-law of prime accused Pooja Bagga, in Panjab University pension cell scam.

Though the FIR mentions the quantum of fraud at Rs 1.63 crore, the PU status report pegs it at more than Rs 2 crore. (HT Photo)

Singh had moved his bail application on October 9. Baljinder, arrested along with Bagga and his brother Jatinder Singh by the UT police economic offences wing on September 21, has accused his sister-in-law and pension cell’s assistant superintendent Naresh Sabharwal of falsely implicating him in the case.

In his bail application, Baljinder stated he was not an employee of the university and was not aware of any fraud transaction made in his account. He also alleged Sabharwal and Bagga of withdrawing the amount from his account.

So far, the police have arrested four accused — Bagga, Jatinder, Blajinder and Sabharwal — in the scam.

Meanwhile, sub-inspector Rakesh Kumar, who was earlier the investigating officer of the case, has been transferred to the Police Lines for allegedly providing ‘VIP treatment’ to Bagga, who was sent on a 13-day police remand. Both Bagga and Sabharwal have not sought bail so far.

Though the FIR mentions the quantum of fraud at Rs 1.63 crore, the PU status report pegs it at more than Rs 2 crore.