The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed the bail applications of former CBI Deputy Superintendent of Police Balbir Singh and Assistant Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Vishal Deep, both of whom are accused in the high-profile Himachal Pradesh scholarship scam.
Justice Manjari Nehru Kaul, while delivering the order, underscored the gravity of the charges, noting that although “bail is the rule and jail is the exception,” the involvement of senior law enforcement officers in a corruption case demands a stricter approach to safeguard public trust and ensure the integrity of the ongoing investigation. The court highlighted the risk of evidence tampering and witness intimidation, especially since the complainants are yet to testify.
The bribery allegations surfaced on December 22, 2024, when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Chandigarh registered two FIRs following complaints from Bhupinder Kumar Sharma, chairman of Dev Bhumi Group of Institutions in Una, and Rajneesh Bansal, chairman of the Himalayan Group of Professional Institutions in Sirmaur. Both alleged that ED officials, including Vishal Deep, demanded bribes in exchange for not arresting them in cases filed against their institutions.
Vishal Deep was arrested in January, followed shortly by Balbir Singh. During the bail hearing, Deep argued that there was no direct recovery of bribe money from him and that the case was largely circumstantial. Singh claimed he was not initially named in the FIR and was later implicated based on an inconclusive audio recording.
However, the CBI refuted these claims, asserting that both officers abused their positions while probing a major financial scam. The agency alleged that Deep demanded bribes using assumed identities like “Rahim” and encrypted apps such as Zangi to mask his involvement. Two vehicles linked to Deep—one registered in his name and the other in his brother Vikas Deep’s—tested positive for phenolphthalein, a chemical used in trap operations to detect bribe transactions.
Regarding Singh, the CBI said his role was far from peripheral. He allegedly facilitated meetings, coordinated communication, and took deliberate leave on days crucial to the conspiracy. His presence was verified through call detail records and CCTV footage from meetings held at Hotel Lalit in Chandigarh. The CBI also revealed that ₹1.25 crore in cash was recovered from co-accused Vikas Deep.
The court, in its order, remarked that the use of encrypted communication and the strategic involvement of personal and family-owned vehicles pointed to a premeditated and sophisticated criminal conspiracy. “Engagement with the accused outside official channels and the creation of an environment conducive to illegal exchanges—even if some trap elements did not materialize—cannot absolve the petitioners at this stage,” the court noted.
