Mercedes, Audi, imported liquor, cash stash: Inside Punjab DIG's seized assets

CBI arrested Ropar DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar for demanding a bribe of ₹8 lakh from a scrap dealer through a private middleman.

A probe against a Punjab top cop in a bribery case unravelled huge cache of money, luxury cars, gold, imported liquor among other things. The stash came to fore when Punjab Police deputy inspector general (DIG) Harcharan Singh Bhullar was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over an alleged bribery demand of ₹8 lakh from a scrap dealer.

Luxury watches, gold jewellery and cash recovered from DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar's possession.

The probe agency registered a corruption case against Bhullar and another individual for allegedly demanding a bribe of ₹8 lakh through a private middleman to "settle" a police case and protect a businessman's interests.

The CBI teams recovered ₹5 crore in cash (still counting) and jewellery weighing around 1.5 kilograms, among other things.

Cash of approximately ₹5 crore (and counting)

22 luxury watches

Here is what the CBI found during searches at various locations linked to DIG Bhullar in Punjab and Chandigarh:

•Jewellery weighing about 1.5 kg

•Documents pertaining to immovable properties and assets in Punjab

•Keys of two luxury vehicles (Mercedes and Audi)

•Locker keys

•40 litres of imported liquor bottles

•Fire Arms-1 double barrel gun, 1 Pistol, 1 Revolver, 1 Airgun, along with ammunition

Recovery from the middleman:-

•Cash of ₹21 lakh

The FIR

An FIR was 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.

The complaint, received on October 11, was lodged by Akash Batta, a resident of Mandi Gobindgarh, District Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab. Batta alleged that DIG Bhullar, through his aide Kirshanu, demanded illegal gratification to "settle" FIR registered at Police Station Sirhind, and to ensure that no coercive action was taken against his scrap business.

While the probe is underway, Bhullar was taken for medical examination on Friday.