High-profile Punjab cop caught red-handed by CBI taking Rs 5 lakh bribe

Chandigarh: A senior Punjab Police officer, DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday for allegedly taking a bribe. Bhullar, who serves as the Deputy Inspector General of Police for Ropar range, was reportedly caught red-handed while accepting Rs 5 lakh from a complainant during a CBI raid in Mohali.

According to officials, the complainant had alleged that Bhullar demanded Rs 5 lakh to settle a claim. Acting on the complaint, the CBI laid a trap and apprehended the officer while he was accepting the first instalment of the bribe. A middleman associated with Bhullar was also arrested.

The Ropar range, which Bhullar heads, includes the districts of Mohali, Rupnagar, and Fatehgarh Sahib. Sources said the CBI had been monitoring Bhullar’s activities for some time after receiving a detailed complaint from a scrap dealer in Fatehgarh.

The agency later conducted searches at three locations linked to the officer — his office, residence, and another undisclosed site. To ensure neutrality and avoid interference, no Punjab Police personnel were included in the raiding team.

Following his arrest, Bhullar was taken to Panchkula for questioning.

Harcharan Singh Bhullar, a 2007-batch IPS officer, has held several senior positions within the Punjab Police. He took charge as DIG of Ropar Range on 27 November 2024 after serving as DIG of Patiala Range. He has also worked as Joint Director at the Vigilance Bureau and as Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Jagraon, Mohali, and Sangrur.

Bhullar, known for maintaining a low profile, played a leading role in Punjab’s ‘Yudh Nasheyan Virudh’ (War Against Drugs) campaign. He is the son of former Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Mehal Singh Bhullar.

He also headed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that interrogated Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia in a high-profile drug trafficking case.

The arrest of such a senior officer involved in anti-drug enforcement has raised concerns about corruption within Punjab’s police force and its impact on the credibility of ongoing anti-narcotics operations.