The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 2009 batch, currently serving as DIG of Ropar Range, Punjab, along with an associate, in connection with a bribery case involving Rs 8 lakh.
Allegations of Monthly Illegal Payments
According to the agency, the officer was allegedly demanding regular monthly illegal payments from a complainant in addition to the Rs 8 lakh bribe. The case pertains to the officer allegedly seeking a bribe to “settle” an FIR filed against the complainant and ensure no further adverse police action impacted his business.
Trap and Arrest
The CBI set a trap and caught the middleman accepting Rs 8 lakh from the complainant on behalf of the DIG at Sector 21, Chandigarh. During the operation, a controlled call to the officer revealed his acknowledgment of the payment and instructions for both the middleman and complainant to meet him at his office.
Both the officer and his associate were subsequently apprehended at his office and formally arrested in Chandigarh.
Recovery of Assets
Searches conducted at multiple locations linked to the officer in Punjab and Chandigarh led to the recovery of substantial assets, including:
- Around Rs 5 crore in cash
- Jewellery weighing approximately 1.5 kg
- Documents relating to immovable properties
- Keys to two luxury cars (Mercedes and Audi)
- 22 luxury watches
- Locker keys
- 40 litres of imported liquor
- Firearms, including a double-barrelled gun, a pistol, a revolver, and an airgun with ammunition
- The middleman was also found with Rs 21 lakh in cash.
Both accused are scheduled to be presented before the designated court on Friday. Investigations and searches are ongoing, according to the CBI team handling the case.
Who is IPS Officer Harcharan Singh Bhullar?
Harcharan Singh Bhullar is a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer currently serving as the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Ropar Range in Punjab. He assumed this position on November 27, 2024, after previously holding the post of DIG for the Patiala Range.
Coming from a family with a strong law enforcement background, Bhullar is the son of former Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Mehal Singh Bhullar.
(With IANS Inputs)
