The CBI on Thursday sought another five-day remand of former Punjab DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar, who was arrested on October 16 in a bribery case. Bhullar and his alleged middleman, Krishanu Sharda, were produced before a CBI court after their earlier remand ended.
Sources close to the development said the CBI told the court that an amount of over Rs 30 lakh had been deposited into Bhullar’s account within two months — an amount far exceeding his known income. The agency argued that it needed more time to trace the source of these funds and examine whether they were linked to a wider corruption network involving senior officers.
During the hearing, CBI counsel stated that investigators had recovered property documents, electronic devices, and jewelry during the raid on Bhullar’s residence. The agency maintained that the money trail pointed to a larger pattern of financial irregularities that required further investigation.
Bhullar’s counsel, advocate HS Dhanoa, strongly opposed the remand plea, questioning the legality of the arrest. He argued that the CBI had no jurisdiction to operate in Punjab without prior consent from the state government. Citing court precedents, he said the agency’s action amounted to an “illegal entry” into state jurisdiction. He also pointed out inconsistencies in the CBI’s paperwork, including missing signatures and mismatched timings on the complaint documents.
The CBI countered these claims, asserting that it had full authority to act against any officer, regardless of rank or state boundaries, if a bribery offence was established. “Just because the Vigilance Bureau has not taken action does not mean the CBI should remain silent,” the CBI’s counsel argued in court.
Sources said the agency has already identified a network of 10 IPS and four IAS officers allegedly linked to Bhullar and property dealer Bhupinder Singh, who is accused of laundering their black money through land investments. Eight of those IPS officers are reportedly still serving in field postings. The CBI is likely to summon them for questioning soon.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau, which has registered a separate case against Bhullar for disproportionate assets, is expected to seek his production warrant after the CBI’s remand ends.
The court has reserved its order on the CBI’s remand plea and is expected to announce its decision later in the day or after 2pm.
