CHANDIGARH: The CBI court in Chandigarh on Thursday sent Punjab Police DIG (Ropar Range) H.S. Bhullar to 14-day judicial custody in connection with a corruption case. Bhullar, who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) earlier this week, is accused of demanding and accepting bribes from subordinates and private individuals in exchange for favorable postings and other benefits.
The senior officer was produced before the CBI Special Court after the expiry of his police remand. The investigating agency did not seek further custody, stating that sufficient interrogation had been conducted and key recoveries made during searches at his premises.
According to CBI sources, the agency recovered a substantial amount of unaccounted cash, luxury watches, high-end gadgets, and documents related to multiple properties during raids conducted at Bhullar’s official residence in Chandigarh and his ancestral house in Punjab. Investigators are verifying the ownership of these assets and their linkage to the alleged bribe money.
Officials said the probe was initiated following a complaint that Bhullar was extorting money from police personnel for transfers and postings in Ropar and nearby districts. The CBI registered a case under Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and conducted a preliminary inquiry before arresting him.
The arrest has triggered a political storm in Punjab, as Bhullar’s detention is seen as a major embarrassment to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, which has long projected itself as corruption-free. Opposition parties have demanded a high-level review of police appointments made under the current regime.
A senior CBI official, requesting anonymity, said: “The evidence collected so far points to systematic corruption involving misuse of official position. We are investigating the money trail and possible involvement of others.”
Bhullar was lodged at the Burail jail after the court ordered his judicial remand till October 31. The agency may file a supplementary chargesheet once the forensic audit of seized documents and electronic devices is completed.