Chandigarh: Suspended Punjab Police DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar was produced before the CBI special court in Chandigarh on Tuesday after the completion of his five-day CBI remand. The court sent him to judicial custody, with the next hearing scheduled for November 20, when he will appear through videoconferencing.
The suspended DIG is accused of involvement in a major corruption racket that allegedly influenced police transfers, postings, FIR registrations, and arms licence issuances through a network of middlemen and officers.
CBI Report Links 50 Officers to Middleman
In a report submitted to the court, the CBI stated that links to nearly 50 Punjab officials were found in the mobile phone and electronic devices of middleman Krishanu Sharda, who was arrested earlier in the same case. Sharda allegedly acted as a conduit between police officers and private individuals seeking official favours.
According to the CBI, Sharda played a direct role in managing postings, transfers, and case manipulations, with the assistance of senior officers, including Bhullar. The CBI’s lawyer informed the court that the accused was not cooperating during interrogation and had avoided answering several questions related to financial transactions and property investments.
Revelations on Benami Properties
During interrogation, Bhullar reportedly revealed that several Punjab officials had invested in benami properties through Patiala-based property dealer Bhupinder Singh.
The CBI has identified the names of 14 senior officers—10 IPS and 4 IAS officers—linked to the transactions. Of these, eight IPS officers are still serving in key state positions, while two are currently posted at the Punjab Police Academy. The four IAS officers have been found to have property connections in Mandi Gobindgarh.
Following these revelations, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) team visited the CBI office to collect case documents related to the alleged benami properties and money laundering angle.
Raids and Recoveries
Earlier, CBI teams had conducted raids at Bhupinder Singh’s premises in Patiala and Ludhiana, seizing property records and financial documents. On October 29, the CBI registered a disproportionate assets (DA) case against Bhullar, after detailed searches at his Sector 40 residence in Chandigarh.
Officials reportedly measured and documented every item in the house to match his assets against declared income. The search led to the recovery of ₹7.36 crore in cash, 2.5 kg of gold ornaments, 26 luxury watches, and several bottles of imported liquor.
Bribery Arrest and Timeline
The case dates back to October 16, when the CBI arrested middleman Krishanu Sharda from Sector 21, Chandigarh, while he was allegedly accepting a ₹8 lakh bribe from Mandi Gobindgarh-based scrap dealer Akash Batra. Subsequent interrogation led to the arrest of DIG Bhullar from his office in Mohali the same day.
Judicial Proceedings and Medical Request
During Tuesday’s hearing, Bhullar’s defence counsel H.S. Dhanoa requested the court to ensure medical facilities for the accused while in custody. The court directed that an application be submitted to the jail authorities. The case will now be taken up again on November 20.
