The CBI reported that Harcharan Singh Bhullar, a Deputy Inspector General from Punjab, was apprehended alongside a private individual in connection with a corruption case involving the seizure of ₹8 lakh in cash. The agency stated that Mr. Bhullar was allegedly soliciting a monthly fee from the complainant. He was purportedly using a middleman to negotiate the bribery in order to resolve an FIR against the complainant and prevent any adverse police actions affecting the complainant’s business. The CBI initiated a corruption case on October 16 against both the public servant and his associate for demanding ₹8 lakh, along with additional illegal monthly payments for favoring the complainant.
The middleman was caught in the act while accepting ₹8 lakh on behalf of the police officer. Following the arrests, CBI teams conducted searches at various locations linked to Bhullar in Punjab and Chandigarh, resulting in the recovery of approximately ₹5 crore in cash, documents related to multiple properties, and other incriminating evidence from his residence. The seized items included around 1.5 kg of jewelry, keys to two luxury vehicles (a Mercedes and an Audi), 22 luxury watches, locker keys, 40 liters of imported liquor, a double-barrel shotgun, a pistol, a revolver, an air gun, and ammunition. Both individuals are in custody and will appear in court on October 17, with investigations ongoing.