The special CBI court on Friday extended the judicial custody of suspended Punjab DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar by 14 days after he appeared before the court through video conferencing from Burail jail. The CBI chose not to seek his police remand at this stage, following which the court ordered his continued custody till November 14.
Bhullar, who was arrested in mid-October in connection with a bribery case, has remained in judicial custody since his initial remand expired. The case stems from a complaint filed by a Mandi Gobindgarh-based scrap dealer, who alleged that Bhullar, through his associate and middleman Krishanu Sharda, demanded a bribe of Rs 8 lakh to “settle” a police case. During a trap operation, Sharda was caught red-handed accepting Rs 5 lakh, allegedly on Bhullar’s behalf.
In the proceedings held on Friday, the CBI informed the court that further custodial interrogation of the suspended officer was not immediately required. The court, after hearing both sides, extended Bhullar’s judicial custody for two more weeks. His next appearance before the CBI court is scheduled for November 14.
Meanwhile, sources indicated that the CBI is still analysing evidence recovered during raids conducted at Bhullar’s Chandigarh residence and other properties. The searches had led to the recovery of cash, gold and silver jewellery, expensive watches, and documents related to multiple plots and vehicles registered in the names of Bhullar and his family members. The value of these assets, according to investigators, runs into several crores of rupees.
The CBI suspects that the former DIG may have acquired assets disproportionate to his known sources of income during his tenure. His declared annual income, as per official tax records, stands at around Rs 45 lakh, while the seized assets are estimated to be worth several times more.
Bhullar’s legal counsel, H.S. Dhanoa, has maintained that the properties in question are ancestral and predate his client’s service period. He has also urged the court to prevent the spread of speculative information about the case on social media, asserting that all relevant facts will be presented in due course.
While the CBI continues its financial scrutiny, officials said the Punjab Vigilance Bureau is also likely to examine overlapping allegations of disproportionate assets. The ongoing investigations have also sparked discussions in bureaucratic and police circles, as Bhullar’s case continues to expose alleged collusion between officials and middlemen in handling sensitive cases.
Bhullar will remain in Burail jail until his next hearing on November 14, when the court will review the progress of the investigation and decide on further action.