MILPITAS(California): The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA)Executive Director Satnam Singh Chahal strongly questions the decision of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who rewarded DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar with a prestigious posting in Mohali despite his well-known record of poor performance and questionable integrity during his tenure in Patiala. This decision raises serious doubts about the criteria being used for postings and promotions within the Punjab Police under the present government.
It is a matter of public knowledge that DIG Bhullar’s conduct in Patiala was far from satisfactory. His transfer to Mohali was viewed by many as a reward rather than a corrective step, exposing how internal favouritism and political convenience still dominate administrative decisions in Punjab. The people of Punjab were promised transparency, merit-based appointments, and a clean government. Instead, such moves have sent a clear message that those with tainted records can still find favour at the highest levels.
More importantly, NAPA wishes to remind the Chief Minister and the Punjab Vigilance Bureau that it was not their department that exposed Bhullar’s corruption, but the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The Vigilance Bureau, which often boasts of its independent and fearless functioning, failed to act even when serious complaints and reports were in circulation. This exposes a dangerous level of complacency, or worse, deliberate shielding of corrupt officers.
NAPA therefore urges Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to stop claiming the moral high ground in the fight against corruption when his government’s own vigilance mechanisms failed to act. Punjab’s people expect proactive governance, not post-scandal posturing. The arrest of DIG Bhullar should serve as a lesson, not an opportunity for political credit-taking.
NAPA calls upon the Punjab government to immediately review all recent transfers and postings of senior police officers, ensure accountability in the vigilance department, and reaffirm that integrity — not political loyalty — will be the only qualification for holding public office.