Chandigarh: Senior Punjab-cadre IPS officer Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, popularly known as G.S. Bhullar, has been recently transferred from his post as Amritsar Police Commissioner, triggering a political controversy in Punjab.
The Punjab government has assigned DIG (Border Range) Harman Bir Singh Gill the additional charge of Amritsar Police Commissioner in place of Bhullar. The sudden transfer came days after Bhullar addressed a press conference about the arrest of members of a Pakistan-backed terror module and made remarks concerning the alleged reconnaissance of Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
While the Punjab Police and state government subsequently clarified that Bhullar’s remarks had been misinterpreted and did not mean that the Jantar Mantar protesters were linked to the terror module, the timing of his transfer has led to questions from the Opposition.
The BJP described Bhullar as an “honest officer” and questioned why the state government removed him shortly after the police operation and his subsequent remarks.
Why Was G.S. Bhullar Transferred?
Bhullar’s transfer followed a major police operation in Amritsar in which the Commissionerate claimed to have arrested nine people, including four minors, in connection with a Pakistan-backed terror module.
According to the police, the accused were allegedly acting on the directions of handlers based abroad and were involved in surveillance of security installations. Police recovered three pistols, nine live cartridges and four petrol-filled bottle bombs from the accused.
During a press briefing on August 4, Bhullar said the investigation had revealed that some members of the module had visited Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and allegedly conducted reconnaissance there. He also spoke about an alleged ISI-backed handler and plans to target protesters with petrol bombs.
His remarks subsequently triggered a political controversy, with some reports and political reactions interpreting them as suggesting a connection between the Jantar Mantar protesters and the terror module.
The Punjab government, however, issued a clarification, stating that the Police Commissioner had not claimed that the arrested persons were part of the Jantar Mantar protests or that the protesters themselves had any links with the terror module.
The government maintained that selective editing of the Commissioner’s remarks had created a misleading impression.
There is no official confirmation that Bhullar’s transfer was ordered because of his Jantar Mantar remarks. However, the close timing between the controversy and his removal has prompted speculation in political and administrative circles.
BJP Questions Bhullar’s Removal
The Bharatiya Janata Party strongly reacted to Bhullar’s transfer and questioned the Punjab government’s decision.
The BJP described Bhullar as an “honest officer” and said his removal raised questions because it came after his statements about alleged anti-national activities and Pakistan-linked terror networks.
The party questioned whom the state government was trying to protect by removing an officer who had allegedly brought details of the investigation into the public domain.
Former Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu also questioned the timing of the transfer and asked whether Bhullar’s statements concerning the alleged Jantar Mantar conspiracy had caused discomfort to the state government.
However, the allegations and political interpretations remain contested, while the Punjab government has not officially stated that the transfer was linked to Bhullar’s remarks.
G.S. Bhullar’s Three-Decade Police Career
Mr Bhullar is a 2004-batch IPS officer of the Punjab cadre who has spent more than three decades in policing.
Interestingly, Bhullar’s entry into the police service predates his IPS induction. He joined the Punjab Police Service (PPS) as a 1991-batch officer and began his career as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Patiala. He was subsequently promoted to the Indian Police Service in 2004.
Over the years, he has served in several strategically important districts and police formations in Punjab.
His early and middle-career postings included assignments as SSP in Muktsar, Moga, Ropar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana Rural and Bathinda.
One of the most notable chapters of his career was his tenure as SSP of SAS Nagar (Mohali). He is reported to have had the longest tenure as SSP of the district since its creation in 2006.
His first tenure lasted for more than four years, from September 2009 to November 2013, followed by another stint from 2015 to 2016.
From Jalandhar to Ludhiana
During the Congress government led by Captain Amarinder Singh, Mr Bhullar held several important positions.
In May 2017, he served as SSP (Vigilance) and SSP, Jalandhar Rural.
He subsequently moved to city policing and took charge as Police Commissioner of Jalandhar on September 30, 2018.
On September 22, 2021, he became the Police Commissioner of Ludhiana during the tenure of Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi.
He later served as a DIG with the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) and also held charge of Ropar Range during the Aam Aadmi Party government.
His career has therefore spanned multiple political administrations, including governments led by the Shiromani Akali Dal, Congress and AAP.
This continuity across different political dispensations has contributed to his reputation as an officer who has handled important operational assignments under successive governments.
Amritsar Police Commissioner and Political Controversies
IPS Bhullar became Police Commissioner of Amritsar in late 2023. His tenure in Amritsar was not without controversy.
After the defeat of local AAP candidate Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Bhullar briefly lost the Amritsar Police Commissioner post but returned to the position soon after.
Another major controversy emerged in December 2024 following the assassination attempt on SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal at the Golden Temple.
Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal publicly accused Bhullar of suggesting that the attack had been staged to gain public sympathy and alleged that there was a delay of around six hours in registering the FIR.
Bhullar’s recent transfer has therefore added another major episode to a long and eventful career.
Major Terror Module Operation Before Transfer
The latest controversy came immediately after the Amritsar Police claimed a significant breakthrough against a Pakistan-backed terror module.
On August 4, the Amritsar Commissionerate announced the arrest of nine individuals, including four minors.
Police said the accused were linked to an alleged terror network being operated by handlers based abroad.
The operation reportedly resulted in the recovery of:
- Three pistols
- Nine live cartridges
- Four petrol-filled bottle bombs
Investigators alleged that members of the group were conducting reconnaissance of security installations and were acting on directions received from Pakistan-based handlers.
It was during the subsequent briefing that Bhullar spoke about the alleged Jantar Mantar reconnaissance, setting off the controversy that ultimately placed his transfer under intense political scrutiny.
Who Is G.S. Bhullar?
Mr Bhullar is a senior 2004-batch IPS officer of the Punjab cadre and a third-generation police officer.
His family has a long association with the Punjab Police. His father, Guriqbal Singh Bhullar, served in the police, while his grandfather, Gurdayal Singh Bhullar, also had a distinguished police career and served as Jalandhar SSP from 1957 to 1960.
IPS Bhullar’s professional reputation has been built around his long experience in district policing, urban policing, intelligence-led operations and specialised anti-gangster assignments.
He is known as a soft-spoken and diplomatic officer with strong communication skills, while his career has also involved several high-pressure law-and-order and security assignments.
Bhullar’s Declared Wealth Made Headlines
He has also attracted national attention for his declared property holdings.
In 2016, his property return filings reportedly showed ancestral land, commercial plots and residential properties valued at more than ₹150 crore.
The declaration led to his being described in several media reports as one of India’s wealthiest IPS officers.
Reports have subsequently cited his declared immovable assets at over ₹150 crore. These figures relate to declared assets and should not be confused with an independently established personal net-worth assessment.
Awards and Recognition
Despite the controversies surrounding his recent transfer, Mr Bhullar has received several recognitions during his police career.
His honours include:
- Police Medal for Gallantry – 2004
- Police Medal for Meritorious Service – 2012
- Union Home Minister’s Special Operation Medal – 2022
These awards reflect his service in operational and policing assignments over the course of his career.
A Career That Crossed Political Administrations
One of the defining features of Mr Bhullar’s career has been his continued presence in important policing positions across different governments.
He served under the Shiromani Akali Dal, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party administrations, handling several major districts and specialised police assignments.
His ability to remain in key operational positions across changing political dispensations has often made him a subject of interest within Punjab’s administrative and political circles.
His latest transfer, however, has put the officer at the centre of another political debate.
What Happens Next?
Following Bhullar’s removal, DIG Harman Bir Singh Gill has been given additional charge of the Amritsar Police Commissionerate.
IPS Bhullar has been directed to report to the DGP office in Chandigarh.
For now, the exact reason behind the timing of the transfer remains officially unclear. The controversy surrounding his remarks on the alleged terror module and Jantar Mantar has become the main political talking point, but the government has not formally stated that his comments were the reason for his removal.
The episode has nevertheless placed the career of one of Punjab Police’s most experienced officers under renewed public and political scrutiny, with the debate now extending beyond the transfer itself to questions about policing, political accountability and the communication of sensitive counter-terror investigations.
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