The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Punjab Police Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Harcharan Singh Bhullar and a middleman at Bhullar’s Mohali office on bribery charges following a complaint by a scrap dealer from Fatehgarh Sahib. Bhullar allegedly demanded Rs 8 lakh as an initial bribe and extorted monthly payments to settle a case against the dealer.
Caught in a trap laid by CBI, Bhullar and his aide were accused of serious corruption involving vast assets seized, including Rs 5 crore cash, 1.5 kg of gold jewellery, luxury watches, high-end vehicles, liquor, firearms, and property documents. The investigation is ongoing, aiming to uncover the full extent of the corruption network.
Bribery Charges and Evidence
Bhullar, a 2007-batch IPS officer and current DIG of Ropar Range since November 2024, was accused of extorting Rs 8 lakh from scrap dealer Akash Batta for settling FIR No. 155/2023 linked to alleged theft of iron products. The bribe extended into a monthly extortion scheme routed through an aide named Kirshanu.
Evidence against Bhullar includes a recorded WhatsApp call instructing a middleman to collect payments totaling Rs 8 lakh. The CBI caught Kirshanu red-handed accepting the cash in Chandigarh’s Sector 21, followed by Bhullar’s arrest at his Mohali office. Punjab Police IG (HQ) Sukchain Singh Gill confirmed the investigation’s independence with no Punjab Police personnel involved in the raid to ensure impartiality.
Background and Context
Harcharan Singh Bhullar is the son of former Punjab DGP Mehal Singh Bhullar. His police career includes notable roles as SSP Mohali, DIG Patiala Range, and heading the Special Investigation Team probing senior Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia in a drug smuggling case. Prior to his arrest, Bhullar was recognised as an honest officer leading the anti-drug initiative ‘Yudh Nasheyan Virudh.’
The latest allegations and arrest have caused significant shock among law enforcement circles. Following the arrest, CBI teams conducted simultaneous raids on Bhullar’s office and residential premises in Mohali, Chandigarh, and Ropar, unearthing luxury properties, large sums of cash, and expensive assets, exposing a sprawling bribery nexus.
Punjab’s police force has witnessed several corruption cases in recent years, reflecting systemic challenges. For example, in April 2025, a Special CBI Court in Mohali convicted four former Punjab police officers for corruption-related offences involving bribery and misuse of power, marking a landmark judgment in the state’s crackdown on police graft.
Similar to Harcharan Singh Bhullar’s case, these officers were found guilty under the Prevention of Corruption Act for demanding and accepting illegal gratification to settle cases or ignore complaints. These incidents collectively highlight the urgent need for police reforms, greater transparency, and effective accountability mechanisms to restore public trust and ensure justice within the state’s law enforcement.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The arrest of a senior police officer on such grave bribery charges starkly exposes systemic challenges in upholding integrity within law enforcement. Corruption at senior levels deeply damages public trust and impairs justice delivery.
The Logical Indian stresses the urgent need for comprehensive reforms promoting transparency, accountability, and empathy in policing. Building community trust requires consistent ethical behaviour alongside proactive anti-corruption measures.
CBI ARRESTS DIG OF PUNJAB POLICE AND PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL IN ₹8 LAKH BRIBERY CASE#GoodGovernance #Zero_Tolerance pic.twitter.com/wOqhQ02398
— Central Bureau of Investigation (India) (@CBIHeadquarters) October 16, 2025
