Chandigarh: A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Chandigarh on Friday extended the judicial custody of suspended Punjab Police Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Harcharan Singh Bhullar, who was caught red-handed for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh from a scrap dealer, by 14 days.
He has also been booked for allegedly amassing disproportionate assets.
Bhullar was virtually produced before the court from Burail jail after his 14-day judicial custody ended on Friday.
The CBI arrested Bhullar, who was serving as Ropar Range DIG, on October 16, along with a “middleman” Krishanu Sharda, for allegedly accepting the bribe from scrap dealer Akash Batta, who is also the complainant.
During searches at Bhullar’s residence in Chandigarh, the CBI seized cash worth over Rs 7.36 crore, jewellery worth over Rs 2.32 crore, 26 branded and expensive watches, besides documents of nearly 50 immovable properties in the names of family members.
Sharda was arrested in Chandigarh, while DIG Bhullar was arrested from his office in Mohali a few minutes later.
The additional FIR for amassing disproportionate assets was registered against DIG Bhullar based on a complaint by Inspector Sonal Mishra.
The complaint details allegations stemming from a previous case where Bhullar was arrested for demanding and accepting an illegal gratification of Rs 5 lakh, said the CBI.
The CBI seized documents of two properties in Chandigarh and agricultural land measuring around 150 acres in Mohali, Hoshiarpur, and Ludhiana, besides commercial properties.
The complaint alleged that the recovery of these assets, which are disproportionate to his known sources of income, prima facie reveals that Bhullar illicitly enriched himself during the provisional check period of August 1 to October 17.
The CBI found that, as per the income tax return filed by Bhullar for the assessment year 2024-25, his total declared annual income from all known sources is to the tune of Rs 45.95 lakh. However, the value of assets recovered and properties linked to his family are estimated to run into several crores, says the FIR.
(IANS)
