A special CBI court in Chandigarh remanded Punjab Deputy Inspector General Harcharan Singh Bhullar to 14 days of judicial custody on October 17, 2025, in a high-profile bribery case that exposed a massive cache of unexplained assets amassed by the 2009-batch IPS officer. Bhullar, arrested on October 16 following a scrap dealer's complaint of an Rs 8 lakh bribe demand, appeared in court with his face veiled by a handkerchief, which Special Judge Sushil Kumar Garg ordered removed. His co-accused, middleman Kirshanu Sharda, was also remanded alongside him until October 31 at Burail Jail. The proceedings underscore deepening probes into systemic corruption within Punjab Police, a force pivotal in combating the state's rampant drug trade.
The CBI's raids on Bhullar's residence and related sites uncovered Rs 7.5 crore in cash, 2.5 kg of gold jewellery, 26 luxury watches including Rolex and Rado models, 40 litres of foreign liquor, four firearms with 100 live cartridges, and documents for over 50 benami properties held in family and proxy names. Investigators, who completed initial interrogations without seeking further police custody, described the haul as evidence of prolonged illicit gains, with forensic audits underway to trace the money trail. Bhullar's counsel, HS Dhanoa, vehemently denied the charges, claiming false implication, and highlighted the officer's medical needs; the court directed jail authorities to provide prescribed medications. This development amplifies public outrage in Punjab, where narcotics syndicates have claimed over 35,000 lives since 2016, per state records, eroding trust in anti-corruption enforcers.
Bhullar, son of former Punjab DGP Mahal Singh Bhullar and brother to Congress worker Kuldeep Singh Bhullar, held influential roles including Senior Superintendent in Mohali, Sangrur, and Gurdaspur and as Patiala Range DIG before assuming Ropar Range leadership in November 2024, overseeing Mohali, Rupnagar, and Fatehgarh Sahib. Ironically, he previously served as Joint Director of the Vigilance Bureau and led a 2021 Special Investigation Team targeting Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia's alleged drug trafficking links while contributing to the 2020 'Yudh Nasheyan Virudh' campaign against syndicates. His extracurricular prominence as president of the Gatka Federation of India, promoting Sikh martial arts, now invites additional scrutiny. Punjab's border proximity to Pakistan exacerbates drug vulnerabilities, making such scandals a setback for initiatives reliant on credible policing.
The case, amid a 15% surge in CBI vigilance referrals against IPS officers in 2024, has ignited calls for reforms like mandatory asset disclosures and stricter oversight in drug-sensitive postings. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's Aam Aadmi Party, campaigning on anti-graft promises, endorsed the probe, while opposition parties push for a judicial inquiry to unearth deeper networks. As investigations continue, Bhullar's prominent family legacy faces tarnishment, spotlighting the entrenched challenges of purging corruption from India's law enforcement pillars. This episode could catalyse legislative changes, bolstering transparency in a state where electoral vows often clash with institutional realities.