CBI Raid Uncovers Punjab Police Officer's Massive Unexplained Wealth: 7.5 Crore Cash, 50+ Properties, Luxury Assets

Chandigarh:

A raid conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation at senior Punjab police officer Harcharan Singh Bhullar's residence uncovered vast amounts of unexplained wealth, including crores in cash, substantial gold jewelry, luxury timepieces, numerous properties, and high-end vehicles. Officials indicate this wealth appears to represent accumulated illegal earnings spanning multiple years.

Bhullar's arrest came following a complaint from a scrap dealer who alleged the officer demanded an Rs 8 lakh bribe. The senior police official was apprehended on Thursday alongside an intermediary who was acting on his instructions.

The subsequent search of his Chandigarh home by the central agency revealed staggering finds: approximately Rs 7.5 crore in cash, 2.5 kg of gold jewelry, 26 premium watches from brands including Rolex and Rado, 40 liters of imported alcohol, and four firearms with 100 live rounds of ammunition.

Investigators also discovered documentation for more than 50 immovable properties registered under family members' names and suspected benami entities, along with locker keys and information regarding multiple banking accounts.

Bhullar, a 2009-batch IPS officer, is former Punjab DGP Mahal Singh Bhullar's son. His brother Kuldeep Singh Bhullar is affiliated with the Congress party.

His career included service as Senior Superintendent of Police across multiple districts including Mohali, Sangrur, Khanna, Hoshiarpur, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Gurdaspur. He also served as Deputy Inspector General of Patiala Range before assuming responsibility for Ropar Range in November 2024, overseeing Mohali, Rupnagar, and Fatehgarh Sahib districts.

Previously, Bhullar held the position of Joint Director in the Vigilance Bureau during the former government. He also presided over the Gatka association and Gatka Federation of India.

In 2021, Bhullar headed a Special Investigation Team examining a high-profile drug trafficking case against Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia. He was also prominently involved in the Punjab government's anti-narcotics initiative 'Yudh Nasheyan Virudh,' designed to dismantle drug networks throughout the state.

However, his investigation of Majithia concluded controversially amid allegations of overreach and heavy-handedness.