CHANDIGARH: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a fresh case of amassing disproportionate assets against arrested and suspended Punjab Police Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Harcharan Singh Bhullar.
Sources said that the assets seized during the searches have revealed alleged illicit wealth that is multiple times over and above his known sources of income, prompting the agency to register a fresh FIR against Bhullar. The apex agency will take the seized wealth as the starting point and may unravel more assets during the probe.
A copy of the FIR, which is with TNIE, reads, "A written and signed complaint dated October 29 has been received from Sonal Mishra, Inspector, CBI, ACB, Chandigarh. The said complaint is attached as Annexure 'A'. The allegations mentioned in the complaint prima-facie disclose commission of cognizable offences punishable under section 13(2) r/w 13(1)(b) of PC Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) & 61(2) BNS 2023 against HS Bhullar, DIG, IPS:2009, Punjab Cadre and unknown others. A regular case is therefore registered under section 13(2) r/w 13(1)(b) of PC Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) & 61(2) BNS 2023 and substantive offences thereof against Bhullar and unknown others."
Annexure A attached in the FIR reads, "In continuation of the investigation of said case, residential premises of accused Bhullar at House No 1489, Sector 40B, Chandigarh, were searched on October 16 and 17. During the search, cash amounting to Rs 7,36,90,000 was recovered. Further, gold jewellery and silver items with a total value of Rs 2,32,07,686, and 26 branded and expensive watches were also recovered."
"Immovable property documents were also seized, which include documents of H.No.1489, Sector 40-B, Chandigarh and Flat No.1014, Sector 39, Chandigarh and documents pertaining to acquisition of agricultural land measuring around 150 acres in the districts of Mohali, Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana and commercial properties in the name of Bhullar, his family members (comprising wife Tejinder Kaur Bhullar, son Gurpartap Singh Bhullar and daughter Tejkiran Kaur Bhullar) and others," it added.
The annexure stated, "Bhullar and his family members were also found to be in possession of five vehicles including high-end vehicles such as Mercedes, Audi, Innova and Fortuner. There is a balance of Rs 2.95 crores (approximately) as on October 17 in five bank accounts and two fixed deposits (FDs) in the name of Bhullar and his family members."
"As per the salary account of Bhullar in HDFC Bank, Sector 9 Chandigarh, a net salary to the tune of Rs 4,74,140 for the month of August and September was credited. As per the income tax returns for the Assessment Year 2025-26, Bhullar has declared his total income from all known sources to the tune of Rs 45,95,990. Further, income tax of Rs 13,82,270 was paid by Bhullar on the said total income and as such his net income, after deduction of income tax, is Rs 32 lakh approximately for the whole financial year 2024-2025," it read.
It further stated, "The recovery of Rs 7,36,90,000 in cash, from the residence of Bhullar at Chandigarh, along with high-value jewellery valued at Rs 2,32,07,686, luxury items, high-end vehicles and substantial bank balances/fixed deposits, prima facie reveal that during the check period from August 1 to October 17, the accused Bhullar, in connivance with unknown others, has acquired assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, thereby intentionally enriched himself illicitly during the period of his office, for which Bhullar could not satisfactorily account for. This constitutes an offence punishable under Section 13(1)(b) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) and 61(2) of BNS 2023."
"The acquisition of immovable properties and other assets, India and abroad, may be examined in detail during the course of investigation. The role of family members, who may have abetted Bhullar in acquiring assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, may be looked into during the course of investigation," it concluded.
On October 16, Bhullar was arrested by the CBI for allegedly accepting Rs 8 lakh in a bribe from a scrap dealer as “sewa pani”. Subsequent searches resulted in the seizure of cash worth Rs 7.5 crore besides gold jewellery weighing 2.5 kg, 26 luxury watches, including those from Rolex and Rado brands, documents pertaining to more than 50 immovable properties held in the names of family members and suspected benami entities, locker keys and details of multiple bank accounts and four firearms along with 100 live cartridges. Since his arrest, the CBI has also checked several of his bank lockers.
Earlier, the CBI had registered a corruption case against Bhullar. The FIR was filed by the CBI Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), Chandigarh, under Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 and Sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
Meanwhile, in a related development, the CBI court here has granted a nine-day remand of Kirshanu Sharda, who was arrested along with Bhullar in the alleged bribery case, to the CBI. The agency had filed the application before the Chandigarh CBI court under Section 187 of the BNSS, 2023, seeking Sharda’s police custody for 12 days. He was produced in a court on Wednesday.
Narender Singh, public prosecutor of the CBI, said that the agency had received a diary, 100 GB data from different devices and long chats with other public servants. The CBI stated that this information and data would be confirmed with the accused. The link with other public servants as shown in the documents will also be verified.
On the other hand, Gurbir Singh Sandhu, advocate appearing on behalf of Sharda, said that he was being falsely implicated in the case. Sandhu argued that there was no direct link between the accused and the complainant and Bhullar.
