Rs 5 Crore Cash, Mercedes, Audi: Stunning Seizure From IPS Officer's House

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer posted as Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Ropar Range in Punjab, in a corruption case that began with an alleged demand for Rs 8 lakh but has since revealed evidence of massive unexplained wealth, including Rs 5 crore in cash, luxury vehicles, jewellery, and high-end watches.

DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar, a 2009-batch IPS officer, was arrested along with a private individual identified as Krishna, who allegedly acted as his middleman. The CBI said the officer was caught demanding and receiving bribes through this intermediary to "settle" a criminal case filed against a local businessman, and had been soliciting recurring monthly payments.

The Complaint And The Operation

The case was registered by the CBI on Thursday, following a written complaint submitted five days earlier by a scrap dealer called Akash Batta in Punjab's Fatehgarh Sahib. The complainant alleged that DIG Bhullar had been threatening to implicate him in a fabricated case related to his business operations unless he paid Rs 8 lakh as an initial bribe, followed by monthly "settlement" payments.

According to the CBI's First Information Report (FIR), Bhullar demanded that the payments be routed through his associate Krishna, who allegedly repeatedly pressurised him. In one intercepted conversation, Krishna allegedly said, "The August payment was not paid, the September payment was not paid." 

Following a preliminary verification, the CBI laid a trap in Chandigarh's Sector 21. During the operation, Krishna was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 8 lakh from the complainant on behalf of the DIG. Officials said that immediately after the handover, a controlled call was arranged between the complainant and the DIG, in which the officer acknowledged receipt of the payment and instructed both men to visit his office.

Acting on this evidence, the CBI team traced DIG Bhullar to his office in Mohali and formally arrested both accused.

Searches And Recoveries

Following the arrests, the CBI conducted extensive searches at multiple premises linked to Bhullar in Ropar, Mohali, and Chandigarh. 

Among the many items recovered were: 

Approximately Rs 5 crore in cash (counting still ongoing)

1.5 kg of gold and jewellery

Documents relating to immovable properties across Punjab

Keys of two luxury vehicles -- a Mercedes and an Audi

22 high-end wristwatches

Locker keys and 40 litres of imported liquor

Firearms and ammunition, including a double-barrel shotgun, a pistol, a revolver, and an airgun

From the residence of the alleged middleman Krishna, the CBI recovered an additional Rs 21 lakh in cash.

Officials said both Bhullar and Krishna will be produced before a court on Friday. Further searches and investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the assets and possible money laundering links.

A Career Under Scanner

A 2009-batch IPS officer, Bhullar has held several key postings, including DIG of the Patiala Range, Joint Director of the Vigilance Bureau, and Senior Superintendent of Police in Mohali, Sangrur, Khanna, Hoshiarpur, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Gurdaspur.

In 2021, Bhullar led a Special Investigation Team (SIT) that probed a high-profile drug trafficking case against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia. He also served prominently in the Punjab government's anti-drug campaign, 'Yudh Nasheyan Virudh', launched to dismantle narcotics networks across the state.

Officials said Bhullar assumed charge as DIG, Ropar Range, in November 2024, overseeing the districts of Mohali, Rupnagar, and Fatehgarh Sahib. He is also the son of former Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) MS Bhullar.