Chandigarh, October 16, 2025:
In a major crackdown on corruption, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Punjab Police DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar and a private person for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹8 lakh.
The action followed a complaint by Akash Batta, a scrap dealer from Fatehgarh Sahib, who alleged that the DIG, through a conduit named Kirshanu, had sought ₹8 lakh to “settle” an old police case (FIR No. 155/2023, Sirhind Police Station) and to protect his business from further police interference.
According to the CBI, during initial verification, investigators recorded a WhatsApp conversation in which Bhullar was heard directing his aide to collect “eight” — a coded reference to the ₹8 lakh bribe.
Acting swiftly, the CBI laid a trap and caught Bhullar red-handed at his Mohali office while he was accepting part of the amount.
Simultaneous searches at Bhullar’s official and private premises in Mohali, Khanna, and Chandigarh unearthed over ₹5 crore in cash, about 1.5 kg of gold jewellery, documents of multiple properties, 22 luxury watches, and 40 bottles of imported liquor. Several firearms and rounds of ammunition were also recovered.
A 2007-batch IPS officer, Bhullar had been serving as DIG, Ropar Range, since late 2024, and previously headed the Patiala Range.
He had earlier led the SIT that questioned senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia in a high-profile drug trafficking case. His father, Mehal Singh Bhullar, is a former Punjab DGP.
Sources said the CBI kept the operation completely internal — excluding Punjab Police officers on deputation — to maintain secrecy and prevent any leaks.
Bhullar was taken into custody and produced before a special CBI court, where the agency sought his remand for detailed interrogation.
The CBI reiterated that it maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward corruption, and such actions are part of its ongoing drive to ensure transparency and integrity in public service.
#GoodGovernance #Zero_Tolerance #CBIAction #CorruptionCrackdown
