Key Points
- DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar of Ropar Range, Punjab, caught red-handed by CBI accepting ₹5 lakh bribe from a scrap dealer.
- Complaint by Fatehgarh Sahib scrap dealer alleging extortion and illegal business protection led to arrest.
- CBI conducted thorough searches at Bhullar’s office, residence, and farmhouse, arresting a middleman linked to the bribery.
- Bhullar is the son of former Punjab DGP Mehal Singh Bhullar and brother of an MLA, marking a major political and administrative controversy.
- He has led key anti-drug campaigns and investigations in Punjab, including heading SIT probing drug smuggling cases.
- Arrests and investigations ongoing; signifies a high-profile crackdown on corruption within Punjab police.
Chandigarh: In a significant development that has sent shockwaves through Punjab’s law enforcement and political circles, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Harcharan Singh Bhullar, a senior Punjab police officer, on Thursday afternoon. Bhullar was caught red-handed accepting a bribe of ₹5 lakh from a scrap dealer based in Fatehgarh Sahib district, part of the Ropar range.
The arrest was the culmination of a meticulously planned CBI operation following a formal complaint by the dealer, who accused Bhullar of extorting money to settle a fabricated case and demanding monthly protection payments worth ₹5 lakh, allegedly in exchange for allowing illegal car business activities to continue unhindered. When Bhullar summoned the complainant to his Mohali office to collect the first installment, the CBI raiding team caught him in flagrante delicto. A middleman connected to the DIG was also arrested.
Further adding to the gravity of the case, the CBI carried out extensive searches at three locations connected to Bhullar his office in Mohali, his residence in Sector 40, and a farmhouse in Khanna. To ensure the independence and impartiality of the operation, the CBI did not include any Punjab Police personnel deputed to the agency in the raid. Bhullar was briefly taken to Panchkula for interrogation following his arrest.
Harcharan Singh Bhullar hails from a prominent policing family. He is the son of former Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Mehal Singh Bhullar. His brother serves as an MLA, underlining the family’s significant influence in Punjab’s policing and political spheres. A 2007-batch IPS officer, Bhullar, took charge as DIG of the Ropar Range in November 2024 after serving as DIG of the Patiala Range. He is known for his role in spearheading Punjab’s high-profile anti-drug campaign and heading the Special Investigation Team that interrogated Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia in connection with drug smuggling allegations.
The arrest of a DIG-level officer in a bribery sting by the CBI signals a strong crackdown on corruption within Punjab’s police department. Authorities are now likely to investigate other possibly irregular activities tied to Bhullar’s tenure and influence. The case continues to develop with more revelations expected as the probe proceeds.
Senior state police officials have refrained from commenting, but the high-profile nature of the arrest underscores the CBI’s determination to tackle graft at top levels. This arrest marks one of the most significant corruption busts in Punjab in recent years, stirring political debates and calls for greater transparency in policing.
