High Court Stays Corruption Case Against OSD To Former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has stayed further proceedings against three accused including Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh in a Vigilance Bureau case alleging embezzlement of ₹65 lakh meant for installing street lights in villages around Ludhiana.

The accused contend that the Special Judge pressured the investigating agency into filing a supplementary challan against them.

Justice Sanjay Vashisth passed the interim order on three petitions. The petitioners alleged that the trial judge had himself written to the Vigilance Bureau, including its Chief Director and Secretary, issuing specific directions for compliance, and that the allegations against them had thereby been prejudged.

FIR was registered at Police Station Vigilance Bureau, Economic Offences Wing, Ludhiana under Section 13(1)(a) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Sections 409 and 120-B IPC. Sections 465, 467, 468 and 471 IPC were added later. The allegation is that ₹65 lakh meant for installing street lights in various villages was embezzled during 2021–22.

The former OSD to Captain Amrinder Singh Sandeep Singh Sandhu sought quashing of several zimni (interim) orders passed by the Special Court. He alleged that by directing expeditious investigation, the trial court had put pressure on the investigating agency to file a supplementary report against him under Section 173(8) CrPC.

Gaurav Sharma challenged the Special Judge's order dated 29.05.2025 dismissing his discharge application, and the order dated 18.07.2025 framing charges against him.

Harpreet Singh challenged the same two orders and the charge-sheet. He additionally contended that it was the trial court itself that first raised the question of why no challan had been filed against particular accused, which led to the supplementary challan.

The petitioners submitted that the FIR was registered only because of the change of government in Punjab in 2022. They relied on an order dated 23.04.2025 to show that, at several stages, the trial judge had written letters and communications to the Vigilance Bureau, including its Chief Director and Secretary, issuing specific directions for compliance. They argued that the allegations had been prejudged and that their right of defence had been gravely prejudiced.

The Court directed that further proceedings under the FIR and the impugned orders shall remain stayed against the petitioners. The matter is listed on 16.10.2026, to be taken up as the last case in the urgent list.

Counsel: Bipan Ghai, Senior Advocate, with Nikhil Ghai and Akhil Godara for Sandeep Singh Sandhu;

S.P.S. Sidhu, Senior Advocate, with Payal for Gaurav Sharma; P.S. Ahluwalia, Senior Advocate, with Gaurav Jain and Sidhant Thukral for Harpreet Singh;

M.S. Bhullar, DAG, Punjab