Chandigarh, April 29 -- A CBI court in Chandigarh on Monday dismissed applications filed by suspended Punjab DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar and co-accused Kirshanu Sharda, seeking recall of a cognisance order passed regarding a corruption case. In the case, registered in October 2025, the CBI's Anti-Corruption Branch (Chandigarh) mentioned that the accused conspired to demand Rs.8 lakh as bribe from the complainant, Akash Batta, and later accepted Rs.5 lakh. In its March 13 cognisance order, the court observed that the evidence and corroborative witness statements prima facie disclosed a criminal conspiracy. The court held that a prima facie case was made out against the accused under Section 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018. The accused had challenged the cognisance order, arguing that it was passed without hearing them and that the chargesheet was incomplete as certain reports from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) were still pending. Bhullar also questioned the validity of the prosecution sanction and challenged the court's jurisdiction, contending that consent from the Punjab government under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act was required. Rejecting the pleas, judge Bhawna Jain held that the cognisance was taken of the offence, and not the offender. She observed that no prior hearing of the accused was necessary before taking cognisance on the basis of a police report. The court further ruled that sufficient material, including witness statements, transcripts and documents, was already on record and that pending CFSL reports did not render the chargesheet incomplete. The court clarified that issues relating to sanction and jurisdiction could be argued later during the stage of framing of charges. The accused, who appeared through videoconferencing from judicial custody, requested permission for his physical appearance in the court during every hearing. The court declined the request, terming it not feasible at this stage. The accused also informed the court that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) again conducted raids on their premises despite earlier searches by the CBI. They expressed apprehension that incriminating material could be planted during the searches. The court observed that the defence was free to move an appropriate application regarding such concerns. Meanwhile, the CBI moved a separate application, seeking expeditious commencement and day-to-day trial in the case. The accused sought time to file their response, following which the matter was adjourned to April 30. Bhullar, then Ropar Range DIG, and his accomplice Kirshanu were arrested on October 16, 2025, on the complaint of Akash Batta who alleged Kirshanu demanded Rs.8 lakh from him to settle an FIR registered in Sirhind....