CHANDIGARH: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday arrested suspended Punjab Police Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Harcharan Singh Bhullar in a money laundering case registered by the agency on November 6 last year, following his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a corruption case on October 16, 2025.
Seeking 14 days’ remand, the ED’s special public prosecutor told the CBI court in Chandigarh that custodial interrogation was necessary to uncover the complete money trail and the larger nexus involved in the alleged money laundering offence.
The agency said his interrogation was also required to confront him with financial records and statements collected during the investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
However, SPS Bhullar and Karanjit Singh, advocates appearing for the accused, opposed the remand application. Bhullar argued that the application filed by the ED was frivolous and had been submitted while the cross-examination of the complainant was underway. He added that it was an attempt to curtail the accused’s constitutional right to a free and fair trial.
He also argued that since the case was registered, the ED had repeatedly called the accused’s family members for interrogation. He further contended that all documents were already available with the investigating agencies, leaving no need for the accused’s arrest or remand. The CBI court is yet to pronounce its order on the ED’s remand application.
The CBI registered a First Information Report (FIR) under Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and Sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, 1988, based on a complaint by Akash Batta.
He alleged that Bhullar, who was then posted as DIG of the Ropar Range, had demanded illegal gratification through a private intermediary, Krishanu Sharda, in exchange for favourable treatment in an FIR registered at the Sirhind police station and to ensure that no coercive action was taken against the complainant’s business.
Following the complaint, a trap was laid, and Bhullar’s alleged aide, Krishanu Sharda, was apprehended on October 16, 2025, while allegedly accepting Rs 5 lakh from the complainant as part of the demanded bribe. Bhullar was also arrested on the same day. During a search of Bhullar’s residence in Sector 40, Chandigarh, the CBI reportedly recovered approximately Rs 7.5 crore in cash and around 2.5 kilograms of gold.
