The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday morning carried out searches at the residence of a well-known Patiala property dealer, Bhupinder Singh, as part of the widening investigation into the alleged corruption case involving suspended Punjab DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar.
The CBI team reached Bhupinder Singh’s residence, located near Moti Bagh Palace in Patiala, around 7am. The team sealed the entry and exit points of the house and began a detailed search operation that continued for several hours. Singh, who owns BH Properties, is a familiar name in Patiala’s real estate circles, reportedly handling several residential and commercial projects in Patiala, Mohali and nearby towns.
According to sources, the CBI had been tracking financial transactions and property papers that allegedly surfaced during scrutiny of documents seized from Bhullar’s residence last month. Some of these papers, officials say, hinted at deals and land transfers linked to individuals associated with Bhupinder Singh.
DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar was arrested by the CBI on October 16 on charges of demanding bribes for settling cases. His arrest came after a complaint was lodged against him for allegedly seeking money from a Mandi Gobindgarh-based scrap dealer. During searches at Bhullar’s home in Chandigarh and Mohali and his farm house in Ludhiana, officials reportedly found luxury watches, expensive vehicles, jewellery, and several property-related files, prompting further inquiry into possible benami transactions.
Sources said Bhupinder Singh’s name surfaced during questioning of Bhullar, leading investigators to examine whether the suspended officer may have routed some of his assets through third-party property deals. The agency is also said to be scrutinising a few shell companies and land documents in Patiala and Mohali.
Though no official statement has been released by the CBI so far, officers at the site maintained that the raid was part of routine follow-up action to trace the money trail in the case.
The raid also comes amid a tug-of-war between the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) and the CBI over the custody of DIG Bhullar. While the VB had sought Bhullar’s production in a separate case related to disproportionate assets, the CBI opposed the move, alleging interference in its ongoing investigation. A Mohali court on Monday dismissed the VB’s plea, allowing the CBI to continue its proceedings.
Sources say with today’s raid at Patiala, the CBI appears to be widening its net beyond police officials to include those who may have helped conceal or invest alleged illicit earnings. They said more such raids will follow across different districts of Punjab before Bhullar's remand ends on November 6.