CBI Court Sends Punjab DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar to Judicial Custody in ₹8 Lakh Bribery Case
Chandigarh,: A CBI court in Chandigarh on Friday remanded Punjab Deputy Inspector General of Police (Ropar Range) Harcharan Singh Bhullar to judicial custody in connection with a bribery case involving ₹8 lakh. Bhullar was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday.
The senior Punjab Police officer was produced before the court after a medical examination. When questioned by reporters before the hearing, Bhullar said, “The court will do complete justice, and we will place all aspects before it.”
Bhullar’s counsel, senior advocates H. S. Dhanoa and A. S. Sukhija, confirmed that the CBI court sent him to judicial custody.
Following his arrest, the CBI conducted raids at Bhullar’s residence and allegedly recovered ₹5 crore in cash, 1.5 kg of jewellery, property documents, keys of two luxury vehicles, 22 luxury watches, locker keys, 40 litres of imported liquor, and firearms including a double-barrel gun, pistol, revolver, and airgun along with ammunition.
Bhullar was arrested from his Mohali office after a complaint filed by scrap dealer Akash Batta from Mandi Gobindgarh (Fatehgarh Sahib). Batta accused the DIG of demanding a recurring monthly payment to “settle” a 2023 FIR registered against him.
During the operation, the CBI also arrested a middleman identified as Kirshanu, from whom ₹21 lakh was recovered.
According to the FIR, Batta alleged that DIG Bhullar had sought illegal gratification through his aide to close the 2023 FIR and ensure no further police action against his scrap business. Bhullar allegedly demanded ₹8 lakh as an initial bribe and recurring monthly “sewa-paani” payments, threatening to implicate the complainant in false cases if he refused.
Verification of the complaint confirmed that Bhullar, through his associate, had agreed to accept the ₹8 lakh bribe for settling the case and allowing Batta’s business to operate without interference.
Bhullar was appointed DIG (Ropar Range) in November 2024, overseeing Mohali, Rupnagar, and Fatehgarh Sahib districts. He is the son of former Punjab Director General of Police M. S. Bhullar.
