The court of Special Judge Amrinder Singh Shergill has dismissed the bail application of former Chief Managing Director of PSPCL K D Choudhary in a corruption case registered by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau over alleged irregularities in the installation of a 66 KV grid sub-station in a private colony in Ludhiana.
According to the Vigilance Bureau, the accused officers allegedly favoured a coloniser by facilitating the installation of the 66 KV grid sub-station in his colony, thereby causing financial loss to the state exchequer. The bureau has alleged abuse of official position and criminal conspiracy in the matter.
During the hearing, counsel appearing for accused argued that the former PSPCL chief had been falsely implicated due to political vendetta.
The defence lawyer stated that two departmental inquiries conducted in 2017 and 2020-21 had already exonerated the applicant. It was also submitted that the sub-station was installed after obtaining the necessary permissions from the government and after feasibility reports were received from the concerned officials.
Moreover, the grid station was supplying electricity to residents of various villages and localities up to 15 kilometres away and benefiting nearly seven lakh people, out of whom only five per cent resided in Basant Avenue.
It was further submitted that due to paucity of land in Ludhiana, around 20 to 22 substations had been erected in less than 2,000 square yards area and out of 34 substations, 28 had been established within a distance of less than two kilometres. The defence also contended that the departmental guidelines regarding substations were framed in 1980-85 when Ludhiana’s development was horizontal, whereas now the city has witnessed vertical growth.
However, after hearing arguments from both sides, the court found no ground to grant concession of bail to the accused at this stage and dismissed the application.
Notably, KD Choudhary was arrested by the Vigilance Bureau on May 20 in connection with the case.
The case pertains to FIR No. 06 dated April 25, 2026 registered under Sections 13(1)(A) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act along with Sections 409 and 120-B IPC at the Economic Offences Wing of Vigilance Bureau, Ludhiana.
