Chandigarh, October 17:
In a sensational development that has rocked the Punjab Police, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested Ropar Range DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹8 lakh from a scrap dealer. The arrest led to massive raids at multiple locations, uncovering huge cash reserves, gold, luxury watches, vehicles, and weapons from the senior officer’s home and properties.
According to officials, DIG Bhullar — a 2007-batch IPS officer and son of former Punjab DGP Mahal Singh Bhullar — was caught red-handed in Sector 21, Chandigarh, while receiving a bribe through his alleged middleman, Krishanu. The bribe was reportedly demanded from a scrap dealer in Mandi Gobindgarh (Fatehgarh Sahib) in exchange for not pursuing an FIR registered against him.
CBI Launches Statewide Raids
Following the arrest, the CBI formed eight teams, which simultaneously conducted raids at seven locations across Chandigarh, Mohali, Ambala, and Ropar. The searches targeted Bhullar’s official office, residence, farmhouse, and other premises linked to him.
The most significant recovery came from his house number 1489 in Sector 40, Chandigarh, where CBI officers reportedly worked through the night to document and count the vast amounts of seized cash. Specialized machines were brought in to handle the massive haul.
What the CBI Recovered
The CBI’s search operation yielded shocking discoveries:
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₹5 crore in cash (still being counted)
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1.5 kilograms of gold and jewelry
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Property documents worth several crores in Punjab and Chandigarh
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Keys to Mercedes and Audi cars
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22 luxury watches from global brands
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Locker keys and 40 liters of imported liquor
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A cache of weapons, including a double-barrel gun, pistol, revolver, airgun, and ammunition
During a parallel search at middleman Krishanu’s residence, the CBI recovered an additional ₹21 lakh in cash.
Confession and Court Production
Sources said both DIG Bhullar and Krishanu have confessed to the bribery during CBI interrogation. The duo will be produced before a special CBI court on Friday, where investigators are expected to seek police remand to probe the source of wealth and possible involvement of other officials.
A Major Blow to Police Integrity
The arrest of such a senior officer has sent shockwaves through the Punjab Police. The CBI is now examining whether Bhullar’s assets are disproportionate to his known sources of income, and if similar extortion practices were being run through his network.
A senior CBI official said, “The operation has uncovered evidence of large-scale corruption and unaccounted assets. Further investigation will determine the full extent of the financial irregularities.”
Background of the Case
DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar had been serving as the Ropar Range DIG and was known to have held several key law enforcement positions in the past. His arrest marks one of the most high-profile corruption crackdowns in Punjab Police history in recent years.
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