The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday widened its probe against suspended Punjab police officer and former DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar, conducting fresh raids in Ludhiana just hours after similar action in Patiala.
As per officials, the searches are part of an ongoing investigation to trace alleged benami properties and money transactions linked to the ex-DIG, who is currently in CBI remand.
According to sources, a CBI team reached a property dealer’s residence in Sargodha Colony on Pakhowal Road, Ludhiana in the morning. The team sealed the premises and began a detailed search operation that continued for several hours. Residents said no one was allowed to enter or leave the house during the raid, which reportedly focused on property documents and digital records.
Earlier in the day around 7am, another CBI team had carried out searches at the home of a property dealer- Bhupinder Singh in Patiala, believed to be connected to the same case. Officials said both property dealers under scrutiny are suspected of helping Bhullar invest or conceal funds allegedly collected as bribes.
Bhullar, who was arrested on October 16, faces charges of demanding bribes and accumulating assets disproportionate to his income. He is on CBI remand till November 6. The agency is also questioning middleman Krishanu Sharda, who is alleged to have operated a network that collected money from businessmen and routed it to Bhullar. During their face-to-face interrogation, Sharda reportedly admitted to facilitating several such transactions.
CBI officials said the latest raids are aimed at mapping the full financial trail of the alleged kickbacks and identifying properties purchased in the names of others. Several documents and electronic devices have been seized from both Ludhiana and Patiala locations for further analysis.
Sources said the CBI wants to ensure no loose ends remain before filing its chargesheet in what is being described as one of the most significant corruption cases handled by the Chandigarh unit in recent years.
The raids sparked curiosity in both cities, with neighbours gathering outside the sealed houses as the searches continued for hours. While the CBI has not issued an official statement, officials maintained that the investigation is moving in an “evidence-driven” direction and more searches could follow in the coming days.
