Bail granted to IPS officer in fraudulent case

Patiala, Nov 21 (UNI) A Sessions court here today granted bail to suspended Himachal Pradesh Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) B S Thind, who has been accused of defrauding various banks and arrested by the CBI last month.

The senior IPS officer would be released tomorrow after submission of a bail bond amounting to Rs five lakh. He would, however, appear in the CBI court here tomorrow for further hearing of the case against him, Thind's counsel here said.

The counsels for Thind had contended before Additional Sessions Judge Bhupinder Singh yesterday the accused had already paid back Rs 1.05 crore (Rs 1,05,51,018) to various banks and cleared all the balance amount of three banks.

Submitting the bank statements and receipts, the defence counsel stated that the accused had paid back all the pending amount of Vijaya Bank (Rs 27 lakh), HUDCO (Rs ten lakh) and Indian Overseas Bank (Rs five lakh).

Thind was arrested by CBI from his Chandigarh residence on October 27 after which he was currently lodged in Patiala Central Jail in judicial custody till November 22.

A case against the ADGP and some real estate promoters was registered in 2004 that pertained to bank frauds. Initially, the case was registered against the proprietor of M/s Shalimar Land Enclave Prem Chand Singla, and the Chief Manager of State Bank of India Lokesh Sharma, on a written complaint filed by Punjab Vigilance Department.

UNI XC PS PA ND1838