CBI arrests Punjab Police DIG Harcharan Bhullar in Rs 8 lakh graft case

Chandigarh, Oct 16 (PTI) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested Punjab Deputy Inspector General of Police Harcharan Singh Bhullar in an alleged bribery case of Rs 8 lakh, officials said.

A 2009-batch IPS officers, Bhullar was arrested from his Mohali office in a case registered on charges that he demanded a bribe of Rs 8 lakh in addition to monthly illegal gratification through his middleman Krishanu for "settling" a 2023 FIR registered against a scrap dealer from Mandi Gobindgarh named Akash Batta.

In return, it was to be ensured that no further coercive or adverse police action was taken against the scrap dealer's business, they said.

"The CBI laid a trap and caught the private individual red-handed while demanding and accepting Rs 8 lakh from the complainant on behalf of the DIG at Sector 21, Chandigarh.

"During the trap proceedings, a controlled call was made to the public servant, during which he acknowledged the payment and directed the middleman and complainant to come to his office," an agency spokesperson said in a statement.

She said the CBI team arrested the public servant (Bhullar) from his office in Mohali, besides arresting the other accused from Chandigarh.

The agency conducted searches at Bhullar's office and residence, and seized Rs 5 crore in cash.

The CBI also seized jewellery weighing about 1.5 kg, property documents, keys of two luxury vehicles (Mercedes and Audi), 22 luxury watches, locker keys, 40 litres of imported liquor, one double-barrel gun, one pistol, one revolver, and one air gun along with ammunition, the spokesperson said.

An additional cash of Rs 21 lakh was seized from the premises of the arrested middleman, she said.

Bhullar was serving as the DIG of Ropar Range, a position he assumed in November 2024. The Range includes Mohali, Rupnagar, and Fatehgarh Sahib districts.

Bhullar is the son of former Punjab DGP M S Bhullar.

Throughout his career, Bhullar held several positions, including DIG of Patiala Range, joint director of the vigilance bureau, and senior superintendent of police in Jagraon, Mohali, Sangrur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Khanna, Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur.

He also led a special investigation team that probed a drug case in 2021 against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)leader Bikram Singh Majithia.

Additionally, Bhullar was actively involved in Punjab government's anti-drug initiative, 'Yudh Nashian Virudh'. PTI CHS VSD ABS ARI