Chandigarh: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested Punjab Police Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Harcharan Singh Bhullar, Ropar Range, from Mohali for accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh. The 2007-batch IPS officer was caught red-handed in a trap laid by the CBI.
Sources said Bhullar was allegedly accepting a monthly bribe of Rs 5 lakh from a businessman, linked to a case involving a scrap dealer. The dealer had initially been asked to pay Rs 2 lakh, which later increased to Rs 5 lakh, in exchange for allowing his illegal car business to continue.
The arrest followed a complaint and subsequent trap operation by the CBI at a hotel in Mohali. Official sources said Bhullar was receiving bribes in instalments from various individuals or companies, and this arrest relates to one of those complaints.
Bhullar will be produced in a CBI court in Chandigarh later on Thursday. Following the arrest, the CBI has initiated extensive searches at multiple locations connected to the accused, which are expected to uncover further evidence related to the bribery allegations.
During his tenure in the Ropar Range, Bhullar, who previously served as Senior Superintendent of Police in various districts, was involved in cases concerning illegal car trade, including the sale of scrap vehicles with altered chassis numbers.
A case has been registered against him under multiple sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
With IANS inputs