IPS Bhullars’ Raids: The arrest of a senior IPS officer of the Punjab Police has shaken the entire department. Ropar Range DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar, facing serious corruption charges, has been the subject of a CBI raid on his farmhouse, resulting in the recovery of an unimaginable amount of wealth. The 2009-batch officer was responsible for law and order, but the wealth found at his residence raises questions about whether it was honestly amassed or the result of corruption.
What Was Recovered?
The list of items recovered during the raid is unbelievable:
Cash: A massive sum of cash worth approximately ₹7.5 crore (75 million rupees).
Gold: Gold weighing over 2.5 kilograms.
Luxury Watches: 26 luxury watches, including those from brands like Rolex and Rado.
Property Documents: Documents for at least 50 properties owned by his family or close associates.
Weapons and Ammunition: Four weapons and 100 live cartridges.
Liquor: 108 bottles of liquor and ₹5.7 lakh in cash were also recovered from his farmhouse in Samrala.
Bank details: Information about several bank accounts and locker keys was also seized.
What is the whole story?
The case began with an allegation of having an FIR quashed. It is alleged that DIG Bhullar initially demanded a bribe of ₹4 lakh from a person in exchange for having his FIR quashed, and later increased the amount to ₹8 lakh. Based on this complaint, the CBI took action.
The audio recording played a key role in the arrest
An audio tape proved to be the most crucial evidence in this case. On October 16, based on this audio recording, Bhullar and his associate, Kirshanu Sharda, were arrested. Sharda was caught red-handed brokering a bribe and accepting ₹5 lakh. After his arrest, Sharda confessed that he was collecting the money for Bhullar.
The WhatsApp conversation proved definitive evidence
A recording of a WhatsApp call has also surfaced in this case. In this recording, Bhullar can be heard telling Kirshanu: “8 Fadne 8, Jina deda naal naal fadi chala, henu 8hde 8 kar de complete.” Later, Sharda told the complainant, “I know what I’m saying, he said the August case didn’t come, the September case didn’t come.” The investigation confirmed that the mobile number used in this conversation belonged to IPS Bhullar himself.
Fact Check:
Date of Arrest: October 16, 2024.
Judicial Custody: Both Bhullar and Sharda have been remanded to judicial custody until October 31.
Recovered Assets: The list of recovered assets is documented in official statements and court documents released by the CBI.
Audio evidence: The case hinges on an audio recording and a WhatsApp call, which have been confirmed by investigating agencies.
This entire episode has once again raised serious questions about the corruption prevalent in the police department. The recovery of such a large amount of illegal assets from a senior officer is a serious blow to public confidence. All eyes are now on the direction the investigation will take.