Chandigarh — The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has significantly widened its probe into one of Punjab Police’s biggest corruption scandals.
Five IPS officers currently posted in the Ropar Range are now under the CBI scanner, with investigators suspecting that suspended DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar issued irregular directives during his tenure, allegedly influencing administrative decisions and internal postings for illicit financial gains.
The development comes just days after Bhullar’s dramatic arrest on October 16, 2025, when CBI sleuths caught him red-handed in a ₹8 lakh bribery trap.
DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar bribery case: The WhatsApp Call That Trapped a DIG
The Ropar DIG was exposed after the CBI laid a trap and obtained a recorded WhatsApp call between him and his middleman, Kirshanu, where Bhullar is heard asking the middleman to collect ₹8 lakh, directing him to collect whatever amount possible and ensure the total reaches ₹8 lakh.
Read also: Punjab IPS Officer Harcharan Singh Bhullar Faces New FIR Over Liquor Seizure at Samrala Farmhouse
The controlled call confirmed that the DIG was demanding recurring monthly bribes, colloquially referred to as “sewa-paani,” from complainant Akash Batta, a scrap dealer from Mandi Gobindgarh.
During verification on October 11 at Sector 9-D market in Chandigarh, the CBI recorded a WhatsApp call in which Bhullar allegedly directed his middleman to collect ₹8 lakh, saying “8 fadne ne 8″ and instructing him in Punjabi about the payment collection.
DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar bribery case: Staggering Seizures Expose Wealth Trail
The CBI raids unveiled a treasure trove of unexplained wealth that has sent shockwaves through Punjab’s law enforcement establishment.
During searches at his residence, the CBI seized ₹7.50 crore in cash and 2.50 kg of gold jewellery, along with 26 luxury watches, including brands such as Rolex and Rado, documents pertaining to more than 50 immovable properties held in family members’ names and suspected benami entities, locker keys and details of multiple bank accounts, four firearms along with 100 live cartridges.
From Bhullar’s farmhouse in Samrala, CBI sleuths found 108 bottles of liquor, ₹15.70 lakh cash and 17 live cartridges.
The middleman Kirshanu Sharda was also arrested, with ₹21 lakh recovered from his possession.
DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar bribery case: Total Five IPS Officers Under Scanner Till Now
In a major escalation of the probe, the CBI is expected to summon five IPS officers for questioning this week to determine their possible complicity in the case, with officials stating that several internal files bear their signatures on matters now deemed under scrutiny.
Sources reveal that these officers previously served under DIG Bhullar and may have been involved in facilitating administrative irregularities. The CBI has constituted eight special teams conducting simultaneous operations across Ambala, Mohali, Chandigarh, and Ropar.
ED Enters the Fray: 71 Properties Under Lens
The Enforcement Directorate has officially entered the investigation, seeking complete documentation of Bhullar’s properties and bank transactions from the CBI, with officials confirming that the CBI will share all relevant files and seized records with the ED by Tuesday.
Preliminary findings indicate that Bhullar invested heavily in real estate across Ropar, Mohali, Patiala, Ludhiana, and the Chandigarh periphery, allegedly using unaccounted wealth accumulated through his official position.
The Punjab Revenue Department has sought copies of property documents seized during CBI raids and is likely to initiate attachment proceedings once verification is complete.
DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar bribery case: Scrap Dealer’s Explosive Video Statement
In a significant development, a video statement by scrap dealer Akash Batta, the original complainant, surfaced on Sunday, where Batta claims that after the CBI raids, he received a call from a man based in the United States, who alleged that Bhullar manipulated a family dispute between two brothers to forcibly acquire their ancestral land at throwaway prices.
This revelation adds another dimension to the case, suggesting the DIG may have abused his position for land grabbing operations beyond routine bribery.
The Background: How a Scrap Dealer Ensnared a DIG
Batta is described in the police’s submission at the Fatehgarh Sahib court as a habitual offender facing trial in three different cases, yet he successfully led a Deputy Inspector General-rank officer into a CBI trap.
An FIR against Batta was registered in 2023, and an SIT later found that the FIR was untenable as tax evasion was a CGST offence and not falling under IPC, but Ropar Range DIG Bhullar overrode the SIT report and continued with the investigation.
The complainant alleged that no chargesheet had been filed even after two years, prompting him to approach the CBI with his complaint on October 11, 2025.
Political Connections and Family Legacy
DIG Bhullar, a 2009-batch IPS officer, comes from a highly influential family, with his father Mahal Singh Bhullar having served as the Director General of Police of Punjab, while his brother Kuldeep Bhullar is a former Congress MLA.
Due to his political connections, Bhullar reportedly held important positions across successive state governments.
DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar bribery case: Suspension and Judicial Custody
Following his arrest, the Punjab government swiftly moved to suspend the tainted officer.
An official order issued by the Punjab Home Department stated that under Rule 3(2) of the All India Services Discipline and Appeal Rules, Harcharan Singh Bhullar is deemed to be suspended with effect from October 16, 2025, as 48 hours have lapsed since his arrest.
Bhullar was sent to judicial custody by the CBI special court in Chandigarh, with the court remanding him to custody till October 31.
Vigilance Bureau Under Fire
The immediate fallout of a top Punjab Police officer being caught in a bribery case was questions being raised about the functioning and efficacy of the Vigilance Bureau.
Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal expressed shock over the arrest and slammed Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over his silence on the development, questioning what the state vigilance headed by the CM is doing.
Legal Implications on DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar bribery case
The CBI has registered a corruption case under Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 and Sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The CBI has expressed strong apprehension that being a senior police officer, Bhullar, if released, may influence or intimidate witnesses, tamper with or destroy crucial evidence or otherwise obstruct the fair and impartial course of investigation.
Wider Implications for Punjab Police
The case has exposed the vulnerability of Punjab Police to corruption at senior levels. The lure of Mandi Gobindgarh and Khanna scrap businesses has proven to be the undoing of many IRS, IPS officers and CGST employees in the past, with multi-crore billing scams coming to light frequently.
The North American Punjabi Association has demanded CBI monitoring of IAS/IPS/PCS officers and elected representatives in Punjab, arguing this step is vital to restore citizen trust and ensure accountability.
The Road Ahead
With five more IPS officers now in the CBI’s crosshairs and the ED preparing to launch money laundering proceedings, this case threatens to expose a wider corruption network within Punjab Police.
Officials suggest a possible CBI-ED joint operation on the horizon as both agencies work to unravel the full extent of alleged corruption and disproportionate assets accumulated by Bhullar and his associates.
As investigations continue, the case serves as a stark reminder of the need for robust anti-corruption mechanisms and transparent governance within law enforcement agencies.
The CBI’s probe is ongoing, with several material witnesses yet to be examined and the process of verifying documentary and financial evidence still underway.
