NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH, APRIL 10: The Supreme Court on Friday declined to grant bail to suspended Punjab Deputy Inspector General Harcharan Singh Bhullar in connection with a corruption case investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation. A three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and including Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi, stated that it found no merit in the IPS officer’s petition to overturn a previous denial of bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
While dismissing the current plea, the apex court provided a provision for the 2009-batch officer to revive his bail application if the trial does not commence within the next two months. This decision follows a series of legal setbacks for Bhullar, whose actions were described by lower courts as constituting an alarming economic offense. The officer was arrested last October following allegations that he demanded a bribe to settle a criminal matter.
Representing the suspended DIG, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi argued that since the chargesheet was filed in early January, continued custody was no longer necessary for investigation. Rohatgi affirmed that his client has deep roots in society and does not pose a flight risk. He further maintained that because Bhullar is currently under suspension, there is no realistic possibility of him influencing witnesses or tampering with official evidence. The defense also asserted that the maximum sentence for the alleged crime is seven years and that prolonged pre-trial incarceration would be punitive.
The CBI strongly opposed the release, citing the gravity of the accusations and the specific role Bhullar allegedly played in the graft scheme. According to agency records, the officer was apprehended alongside a middleman while accepting a payment of ₹8 lakh from a Mandi Gobindgarh-based scrap dealer. Federal investigators declared that the officer had also been seeking recurring monthly installments to protect the complainant from legal action.
The investigation into Bhullar’s affairs revealed a substantial collection of wealth and assets. Search operations conducted at his Chandigarh residence reportedly resulted in the seizure of ₹7.5 crore in cash, gold and silver ornaments valued at over ₹2 crore, and several dozen luxury watches. Additionally, the agency stated it found documentation for 129 acres of agricultural land and numerous commercial and residential properties across Punjab. While Bhullar remains in Model Jail, Chandigarh, for the bribery case, he is also facing a separate investigation regarding disproportionate assets.
