CBI court sends Punjab DIG Bhullar to 14 days in judicial custody
Harcharan Singh Bhullar to be presented before CBI court via video-conferencing on October 30; CBI has recovered ₹7.5 crore in cash and 2kg of gold jewellery besides luxury watches from residence.
A day after Punjab Police deputy inspector general (DIG) Harcharan Singh Bhullar was arrested for demanding ₹8 lakh bribe from a scrap dealer of Fatehgarh Sahib, a special CBI judge in Chandigarh sent him to 14 days in judicial custody.
The Central Bureau of Investigation told judge Alka Malik that it had recovered ₹7.5 crore in cash and 2kg of gold jewellery besides luxury watches from Bhullar’s residence.
The judge ordered that Bhullar be produced before the court via video-conferencing on October 30. The prosecution did not press for his police remand.
Bhullar, the son of former Punjab director general of police Mehal Singh Bhullar, is the first senior Punjab Police officer to be arrested for graft under the Aam Aadmi Paty (AAP) government.
Defence counsel AS Sukhija requested the court to direct the jail authorities to provide for all his medication. The court agreed to the request and said the same would be done according to the law.
A 2007-batch IPS officer, Bhullar told mediapersons outside the court that he had been framed and he had faith the court would do justice.
On Thursday, Bhullar, who was the Ropar Range DIG, was arrested from his Mohali office following a complaint by Akash Batta, a scrap dealer from Mandi Gobindgarh in Fatehgarh Sahib district. The complainant said that Bhullar had been demanding a bribe of ₹8 lakh as recurring monthly payment to settle a 2023 FIR against him.
CBI teams simultaneously searched Bhullar’s office and his private residence in Sector 40, Chandigarh, and recovered ₹5 crore in cash, 1.5kg of gold jewellery, documents of immovable properties, keys of two luxury vehicles, 22 luxury watches, locker keys, 40 litres of imported liquor, firearms, including a double-barrel gun, a pistol, a revolver, and an airgun, along with ammunition.
After his arrest, Bhullar was taken to the CBI office in Chandigarh.
A middleman identified as Kirshanu Sharda was also arrested from Sector 9, Chandigarh, and the CBI recovered ₹21 lakh from him.
According to the FIR, complainant Akash Batta alleged that Bhullar had demanded illegal gratification through his middleman, Kirshanu Sharda, for settling the 2023 FIR registered in Sirhind against him and for ensuring that no further coercive or adverse police action was taken against his scrap business. The complainant alleged that Bhullar had been demanding recurring monthly payments, referred to as “sewa-paani”, and had threatened to falsely implicate him in business-related criminal cases in case of non-compliance.
Verification of the complaint revealed that Bhullar, through his middleman, demanded ₹8 lakh from Batta for settling the FIR and ensuring no further police action against his scrap business.
“On October 11, at Sector 9-D market, Chandigarh, a recorded WhatsApp call from middleman Kirshanu to the public servant captured DIG Bhullar instructing, ‘8 fadne ne 8’ and then ‘Jinna denda nal nal fadi chal, ohnu kehde 8 kar de pura, clearly directing his middleman to collect ₹8 lakh from the complainant,” read the FIR registered on October 16.
The middleman later told the complainant, “Edda kehna pata ki hai... kehnda hai August da ni aaya, September da ni aaya,” implying Bhullar demanded a monthly bribe also, it said.
“The conversation corroborated the complainant’s version, and the mobile number used in the call was verified as registered to DIG Bhullar. The verification conclusively substantiated a clear demand and agreement for illegal gratification,” it said.
The FIR said the verification of the complaint prima facie disclosed the commission of offences punishable under Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, against Bhullar and middleman Kirshanu.
The complainant, in his statement, claimed that he had been booked in 2023 on false allegations that he was using fake bills.
Bhullar was appointed the DIG (Ropar Range) in November 2024. The Ropar Range comprises Mohali, Rupnagar and Fatehgarh Sahib districts.
Bhullar was earlier DIG (Patiala Range), joint director, Vigilance Bureau, and senior superintendent of police in Jagraon, Mohali and Sangrur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Khanna, Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur.
He also headed a special investigation team, probing the 2021 drug case against Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia. The officer was actively involved in the Punjab government’s anti-drug drive, Yudh Nashian Virudh.
