Suspended Punjab DIG Bhullar seeks discharge in ₹8-lakh graft case

In his application, Bhullar argued that there was no material to establish that he either demanded or accepted any bribe

Suspended Punjab Police deputy inspector general (DIG) Harcharan Singh Bhullar has moved the special CBI court seeking discharge from the corruption case registered against him, contending that the investigating agency lacked jurisdiction to register the FIR and that the evidence on record was insufficient to prosecute him.

Bhullar questioned the prosecution’s reliance on voice recordings, claiming that the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) report did not conclusively identify the voice as his. (HT File)

In his application, Bhullar argued that there was no material to establish that he either demanded or accepted any bribe. He further questioned the prosecution’s reliance on voice recordings, claiming that the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) report did not conclusively identify the voice as his.

The case stems from a complaint by Akash Batta, a scrap dealer from Mandi Gobindgarh. Batta alleged that Bhullar, then posted as DIG, Ropar Range, demanded ₹8 lakh as bribe through an intermediary, Krishanu Sharda, in exchange for extending favours related to an FIR registered at the Sirhind police station and ensuring no coercive action was taken against his business.

According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), after verifying the complaint, it laid a trap on October 16, 2025, when Sharda was allegedly caught accepting ₹5 lakh as part of the purported bribe. Bhullar was arrested the same day, and the agency later filed its chargesheet before the special CBI court.

Bhullar has been lodged in Model Jail, Chandigarh, since his arrest eight months ago. The CBI had also registered a separate case of disproportionate assets against him. While he secured bail in that case on January 5 from the trial court, his bail plea in the corruption case remains pending before the Punjab and Haryana high court.