Chandigarh, Oct 22 — Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said his government’s decision to suspend DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar following his arrest in a corruption case reaffirmed its “zero-tolerance policy” toward graft and its commitment to transparent governance.
This was Mann’s first public statement since the Indian Police Service (IPS) officer was arrested by a central agency on October 16 for allegedly demanding ₹8 lakh in bribes from a scrap dealer. The chief minister said the suspension underscored his government’s determination to uphold integrity and accountability in public service.
“Corruption-free governance lies at the core of our ethos,” Mann said in an official statement. “We have spared no one found guilty of corrupt practices.”
He said the government had treated corruption as a “grave crime against society,” warning that no officer or politician, regardless of rank or influence, would be exempt from action. “Such practices erode public trust, weaken institutions, and stall progress,” he noted.
DIG Bhullar’s arrest came after a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) operation, during which officials said they recovered ₹7.50 crore in cash and 2.50 kg of gold jewellery from his residence. A CBI court sent him to judicial custody on October 17.
Since assuming office in 2022, Mann said, his administration had launched a sustained campaign against corruption to ensure clean and accountable governance.
Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, meanwhile, reacted sharply to the CBI action, terming it “unfortunate” that despite an extensive administrative setup, the government had failed to detect the corruption. His remarks were seen as a veiled criticism of the AAP government’s anti-corruption drive.
