Mohali (Punjab): Suspended Punjab DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar, accused of demanding a ₹5 lakh bribe and amassing assets worth crores beyond his known income, has been sent to five days of CBI custody by a Chandigarh court on Saturday.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sought Bhullar’s custody to trace the sources of his alleged disproportionate assets. Despite strong resistance from Bhullar’s defense team, the court accepted the agency’s plea, agreeing that further investigation and evidence collection were essential.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau has filed a separate plea in a Mohali court seeking Bhullar’s custody in another assets-related case. However, the CBI objected, suggesting that the Bureau could interrogate Bhullar in jail if required. The Vigilance plea will be heard on November 3.
During the court proceedings, Bhullar became visibly emotional upon seeing his daughter in attendance. He briefly embraced her before being escorted back to the holding cell.
The CBI’s FIR filed on October 29 unveiled a staggering web of alleged corruption. Acting on a complaint from Mandi Gobindgarh businessman Aakash Batta, the agency earlier arrested an intermediary named Krishnu on October 15 for allegedly accepting ₹5 lakh on Bhullar’s behalf.
Subsequent raids on Bhullar’s Chandigarh residence on October 16–17 revealed ₹7.36 crore in cash, jewellery worth ₹2.32 crore, 26 luxury watches, and documents linked to nearly 150 acres of land across Chandigarh, Mohali, Hoshiarpur, and Ludhiana. Officials also seized five luxury vehicles, including Mercedes, Audi, Innova, and Fortuner cars.
According to the CBI, Bhullar’s declared income for FY 2024–25 stood at just ₹45.95 lakh, with his salary account reflecting ₹4.74 lakh between August and October. The agency maintains that Bhullar has failed to justify the vast difference between his known income and his lavish assets.
