The arrest of senior Punjab police officer Harcharan Singh Bhullar and his close aide Krishanu Sharda has snowballed into a major investigation that may soon reach the upper layers of the state’s bureaucracy and political circles. What began as a single bribery complaint has now widened into a complex web of alleged corruption, secret transactions, and influence-trading that could expose more names in the days to come.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Bhullar, a former DIG posted in Ropar range, earlier this month after a Mandi Gobindgarh-based scrap dealer complained that the officer had demanded Rs 8 lakh to help “settle” a case. Acting as the go-between, Krishanu — a former hockey player with deep links in administrative and business circles — allegedly handled the deal and collected the bribe. The CBI laid a trap, leading to their immediate arrest, and later carried out a series of raids that revealed what officials described as “an empire built on influence.”
During searches at Bhullar’s properties in Chandigarh, Ludhiana and Mohali, sleuths reportedly recovered crores in unaccounted cash, gold and silver jewellery, luxury watches, and documents for multiple land holdings. Investigators said the total assets appear grossly disproportionate to Bhullar’s known income, triggering suspicions of benami ownership and possible offshore investments.
Krishanu’s seizure has proved even more crucial. According to sources, his mobile phone and diary contain encrypted messages, coded entries, and names of people linked to regular cash payments. Some of these entries refer to “monthly collections” or “settlements,” prompting the CBI to examine whether the duo was operating a well-organised system of extortion and protection in exchange for favours or relief in police cases. The agency is now verifying these names and mapping money trails that may connect to businessmen and public officials across districts.
What has made investigators more cautious is the possibility that this was not a standalone arrangement. Early findings suggest that Bhullar may have used his position to benefit several private entities and individuals, possibly with help from others in the police or bureaucratic chain. The agency has sought details of senior officials who interacted with him during his tenure and is analysing transactions linked to his family and associates.
Meanwhile, the government and police department are facing uncomfortable questions about oversight and accountability. How could such wealth be accumulated without any red flags? Were routine checks ignored, or were layers of the system complicit in turning a blind eye? The case has already embarrassed the state administration, with opposition leaders alleging that corruption of this scale could not have thrived without political shelter.
Bhullar, who maintains his innocence, has claimed that he is being falsely implicated, while his aide Krishanu is reportedly cooperating partially with investigators. Both remain in judicial custody, and the CBI has moved to restrict external communication with them to prevent interference with the ongoing probe.
Meanwhile, as new documents are examined and call records decoded, officials expect more names to surface, possibly from within both the police force and the political establishment.
Sources say the case may soon also reveal how deep the nexus between authority and advantage really runs — and whether this clean-up will stop at two arrests or reach the higher echelons of Punjab’s corridors of power.
