A huge scandal of corruption is still making Punjab shake following the arrest of Deputy Inspector General (Ropar Range) Harcharan Singh Bhullar. The raid by CBI on Bhullar's several properties in Chandigarh and Punjab uncovered not only cash and bullion gold but a trail of unaccounted wealth spread across the state.
What CBI has recovered so far
In what investigators are calling one of the biggest corruption-related recoveries in Punjab Police history, the CBI seized documents linked to more than 50 immovable properties spread across Punjab, Chandigarh, and nearby regions. Sources confirmed that many of these assets were registered under the names of Bhullar’s close family members and suspected benami (proxy) entities, indicating a well-organized web of concealed holdings.
Investigators found property papers for prime land parcels, luxury apartments, and commercial buildings, some spread between Mohali, Ludhiana, Patiala, and Jalandhar. The CBI also recovered locker keys, financial ledgers, and details of multiple bank accounts, believed to be tied to these assets.
Besides property records, the CBI recovered ₹7.5 crore in untaxed cash, 2.5 kilograms of gold jewellery, and 26 high-end watches, including Rolex and Rado watches. Raids also resulted in the confiscation of four weapons, 100 cartridges, and more than 108 bottles of foreign liquor from the farmhouse of Bhullar in Samrala, Ludhiana.
At the home of Bhullar's middleman Kirshanu Sharda, officials seized ₹21 lakh in cash and a number of incriminating documents that directly connected him to collecting bribes.
The CBI arrested DIG Bhullar after verifying a complaint from scrap dealer Akash Batta of Mandi Gobindgarh, who alleged that the officer demanded an ₹8 lakh bribe through his aide to settle a 2023 FIR. A sting operation caught the middleman red-handed while accepting the payment in Chandigarh’s Sector 21 market. A subsequent controlled call confirmed Bhullar’s involvement.
CBI officials stated that Bhullar’s property holdings and assets indicate massive enrichment beyond his known sources of income. The agency is now investigating whether these assets were acquired during his postings as SSP Mohali, DIG Patiala, and presently DIG Ropar Range.
Both Bhullar and his aide are now in 14-day judicial custody, while the CBI expands its investigation into the vast property network. Early estimates suggest more than ₹50 crore in potential illegal wealth may be under scrutiny.