Approximately Rs 5 crore in cash (counting is still ongoing), 1.5 kg of gold and jewellery and more have been uncovered by the CBI. Photo: X |@CBIHeadquarters
CBI seizes ₹5 crore cash, gold, Audi from Punjab DIG Bhullar's house in bribery probe
CBI catches IPS officer Harcharan Singh Bhullar red-handed taking bribe of ₹8 lakh; searches at his premises uncover luxury cars, watches, and property documents
In a shocking development, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recovered a massive haul of Rs 5 crore in cash, luxury vehicles, gold, jewellery and high-end watches during raids on the multiple premises of a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in Punjab, who is accused of being allegedly involved in running a bribery racket.
The CBI arrested Harcharan Singh Bhullar, a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer serving as the DIG of the Ropar Range in Punjab, in connection with a corruption case. Notably, the investigation began over a complaint made against the DIG for an alleged bribe demand of ₹8 lakh but the CBI ended up discovering a staggering cache of unexplained wealth at his multiple premises.
Bribery case
This is how the case unravelled. After a written complaint submitted by a scrap dealer called Akash Batta in Punjab's Fatehgarh Sahib, the CBI registered a case on Thursday (October 16).
The complainant claimed that DIG Bhullar had been threatening him that he will falsely implicate him in a fabricated criminal case tied to his business dealings, unless he paid an upfront bribe of ₹8 lakh, along with ongoing monthly "settlement" payments.
In a press release, the CBI said in its First Information Report (FIR) that DIG Bhullar used to funnel the bribe payments through his associate, Krishna, who allegedly kept pressurising the complainant. In one intercepted conversation, Krishna was heard saying, “The August payment was not paid, the September payment was not paid.”
The trap
After a preliminary verification, the CBI decided to lay a trap for the DIG in Chandigarh’s Sector 21.
During the operation, Krishna was apprehended while accepting ₹8 lakh from the complainant on behalf of DIG Bhullar. Immediately after the transaction, officials arranged a phone call between the complainant and Bhullar, during which the officer acknowledged receiving the payment and summoned both men to his office.
Based on this evidence, the CBI tracked Bhullar to his office in Mohali and arrested both Krishna and him.
After the arrests, the CBI conducted extensive searches at multiple premises linked to Bhullar in Ropar, Mohali, and Chandigarh.
Items recovered
Approximately Rs 5 crore in cash (counting still ongoing)
1.5 kg of gold and jewellery
Documents relating to immovable properties across Punjab
Keys of two luxury vehicles - a Mercedes and an Audi
22 high-end wristwatches
Locker keys and 40 litres of imported liquor
Firearms and ammunition, including a double-barrel shotgun, a pistol, a revolver, and an airgun
The CBI recovered Rs 21 lakh cash from the residence of the alleged middleman Krishna.
Officials said both Bhullar and Krishna will be produced before a court on Friday.
Additional searches and inquiries are currently underway to uncover the complete scope of the assets involved and to investigate potential connections to money laundering activities.
Who is Bhullar?
Harcharan Singh Bhullar, a 2009-batch IPS officer, has served in several prominent roles throughout his career, including as DIG of the Patiala Range, joint director of the Vigilance Bureau, and senior superintendent of police in districts such as Mohali, Sangrur, Khanna, Hoshiarpur, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Gurdaspur.
In 2021, he headed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) tasked with probing a high-profile drug trafficking case involving Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia.
Bhullar also played a key role in the Punjab government’s flagship anti-drug initiative, Yudh Nasheyan Virudh, aimed at dismantling narcotics networks across the state.