The CBI made the submission before the special CBI court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Bhawna Jain, before whom Bhullar and Sharda were produced on Thursday. (File)
The Chandigarh unit of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has told a special CBI court that assets worth Rs 1.2 crore have been traced in the name of accused Krishanu Sharda and his wife over the past two years, which the agency has described as proceeds of “corrupt activities” allegedly earned through his role as a conduit in arranging favours for suspended DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar.
The CBI made the submission before the special CBI court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Bhawna Jain, before whom Bhullar and Sharda were produced on Thursday. On the agency’s plea, the court allowed five days of police remand for Bhullar and four days for Sharda.
During the hearing, CBI Public Prosecutor Narender Singh sought Sharda’s remand, saying interrogation and confrontation with digital data extracted from his phone and other documents “suggest that he has been acting as a conduit in corrupt dealings involving co-accused Harcharan Singh Bhullar and other senior public servants.”
The prosecutor further submitted that the pattern and timing of the Rs 1.2 crore in assets accumulated in the names of Sharda and his wife Honey Sharma during the past two years “strongly indicate” that they are proceeds of corruption arising from Sharda’s alleged role in facilitating undue favours.
Sharda’s defence counsel, advocate Gurbir Singh Sandhu, opposed the remand plea, arguing that the CBI had “arbitrarily” compiled an asset list and had been given sufficient opportunity to interrogate the accused. He said the allegation that the accused acquired assets beyond Rs 1 lakh during the period in question was unfounded.
However, the court, while granting four days’ further remand, held that “during the course of investigation, the CBI has laid hand on some material evidence from the analysis of the mobile phone etc. of the accused coupled with the jewellers to suggest that he has accumulated huge gold jewellery apart from cash deposits in bank accounts in his own name and that of his wife Honey Sharma during the last two years.” The court said further interrogation was necessary to “unearth the broader conspiracy, if any.”
Bhullar sent to five days’ custody
Seeking Bhullar’s custodial interrogation, the CBI submitted that after obtaining permission from the duty magistrate, he was examined on November 5 but failed to cooperate, giving “evasive and inconsistent replies.” The agency said Bhullar did not disclose the sources of seized cash, jewellery or investments, nor the identity of benamidars linked to property transactions. He was formally arrested the same day, and his family was informed, the CBI told the court.
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Bhullar’s defence counsels, advocates H.S. Dhanoa and S.P.S. Bhullar, opposed the plea, arguing that the present FIR was registered in violation of law since a disproportionate assets (DA) FIR had already been filed by the Punjab Police Vigilance Bureau on October 29 (FIR No. 26), and two FIRs cannot be registered for the same offence.
Rejecting the defence objection, the court observed that the CBI “cannot be non-suited from the DA case in hand on the ground that the FIR by the CBI is of a later point of time than the FIR registered by Punjab Police Vigilance.”
“The unlawful accumulation and concealment of assets reflect a continuing chain of transactions yet to be unravelled. Since the FIR in hand is an offshoot of the trap case FIR, the CBI has every jurisdiction to carry out the investigation,” the court observed, adding that Bhullar’s interrogation was essential for a “fair and effective investigation” and to obtain “truthful explanation of huge recovery of cash, jewellery and luxury assets from his residence,” including locating undisclosed digital data, lockers and bank accounts.
Jagpreet Singh Sandhu is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. He is a veteran reporter with over a decade of experience, specializing in legal, crime, and environmental reporting across the tri-city area (Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula).
Professional Background
Core Beat: He primarily covers the Punjab and Haryana High Court, District Courts, CBI Courts, and Consumer Commissions. His legal reporting is known for breaking down complex judgments and tracking long-standing criminal cases.
Environmental Reporting: Jagpreet has become a key voice in reporting on the deteriorating air quality and weather patterns in the Punjab-Haryana region.
Crime & Technology: He frequently reports on cybercrime, digital arrest scams, and the intersection of technology and law enforcement, such as the development of citizen-centric policing apps.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
His late 2025 coverage has focused on significant judicial verdicts, major financial scams, and public health concerns:
1. Legal & CBI Court Verdicts
"12 years on, CBI court acquits Haryana judge, parents in wife’s death case" (Dec 17, 2025): Detailed coverage of the acquittal of a judicial officer in a high-profile dowry death case from 2013.
"‘Wicked & evil mind’: Court gives man 30-year term for kidnapping, sexually assaulting 8-year-old" (Dec 16, 2025): A report on a stern judgment from a Chandigarh district court in a POCSO case.
"Man acquitted in rape case after victim found ‘very happy’ in wedding reception" (Dec 9, 2025): Covering a unique legal observation regarding consensual relationships and age verification.
2. Investigative & Scams
"CBI registers FIR in Rs 1.14-cr Patient Welfare Grant scam at PGIMER" (Dec 19, 2025): An exposé on how funds meant for poor patients were siphoned off through forged documents and a photocopy shop inside the PGIMER campus.
"Month-long torture, Rs 85 lakh transfers: How ‘Innocence Certificate’ led to a ‘digital arrest’ of an elderly couple" (Dec 12, 2025): Detailing a sophisticated cyber fraud targeting senior citizens in Chandigarh.
3. Environment & Public Safety
"Panchkula air turns ‘very poor’, fourth worst in country" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on the sudden spike in pollution levels in Panchkula compared to neighbouring cities.
"Soon, you can snap that overspeeding car, and report to Chandigarh Police" (Dec 16, 2025): Breaking news on a new mobile application being developed to allow citizens to report traffic violations via geo-tagged photos.
4. Gangster Culture & Crime
"City Beautiful in the crosshairs of gangsters" (Dec 14, 2025): A feature analysis of how Chandigarh has increasingly become a staging ground for extortion and rivalries between gangster modules.
"Shooters wanted for Parry murder held by Delhi Police Special Cell" (Dec 18, 2025): Following the developments in a high-profile murder case in Chandigarh’s Sector 26.
Signature Style
Jagpreet is recognized for his tenacious follow-up on cold cases and his ability to report on courtroom drama with a focus on victim rights. His work often highlights administrative lapses, whether in the handling of patient welfare funds or the enforcement of environmental standards. ... Read More
