Punjab Newsline, Punjab
Will Join Proceedings via Video Conferencing; Hearing Also Scheduled on Request to Unfreeze Bank Accounts
DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar, who is facing serious allegations of accepting bribes and accumulating assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, is set to appear before the CBI Special Court today after the end of his judicial custody. Due to security protocols and jail procedures, Bhullar will be presented before the court through video conferencing instead of being brought physically. The CBI has already submitted several key pieces of evidence in the case, and further arguments are expected to continue.
Another crucial aspect of today’s hearing concerns the freezing of bank accounts belonging to Bhullar and his family. His family has filed an application before the court, stating that it has become extremely difficult to manage household expenses, as the CBI has blocked almost all their banking facilities. According to them, everyday expenses and essential payments have been severely affected, making it necessary to unfreeze the accounts.
The CBI has frozen not only DIG Bhullar’s personal salary account but also the salary account of his son and the pension account of his father. Bhullar’s son serves as an Assistant Advocate General in Punjab, but his salary, too, remains inaccessible. Similarly, accounts linked to agricultural income and rental earnings have also been blocked, deepening the family’s financial struggles.
On Monday, November 17, Bhullar’s lawyer, SPS Bhullar, filed a petition in the district court seeking orders to unfreeze the accounts. Following this, the CBI Special Court issued a notice to the agency, asking it to submit a reply. The court stated that the next hearing on the matter will be held on November 20, where a decision may be made regarding the restoration of banking access.
According to Bhullar’s counsel, the CBI may continue its investigation, but completely freezing the family’s accounts is unjustified. He argued that the investigation should not interfere with the family’s ability to meet basic daily needs. Meanwhile, the CBI maintains that several aspects of Bhullar’s financial transactions and property ownership are still under scrutiny, making it essential to keep the accounts frozen for now.
Today’s hearing is expected to clarify whether Bhullar and his family will receive any financial relief. At the same time, the ongoing CBI investigation against DIG Bhullar appears to be moving toward a more decisive phase.