For years, we at Khalsa-News.net have been raising alarms about corruption within the police forces of Punjab. We’ve documented patterns: inexplicably rapid promotions of officers, alleged off-books payments, land and property holdings far beyond official incomes, and the seeming impunity of senior officials. Too many times we were told these were only “isolated incidents” or “media exaggerations.” The latest developments make one thing clear: everything we said was true.
On 16 October 2025, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar of the Ropar Range in Punjab in a major bribery and corruption case. The complaint alleged that Bhullar had demanded an ₹8 lakh bribe from a scrap-dealer to “settle” a 2023 FIR and ensure no further police action.
Subsequent raids uncovered a shocking cache of ill-gotten assets: ₹7.5 crore in cash, around 2.5 kg of gold jewellery, 26 luxury watches, documents tied to more than 50 immovable properties, multiple bank accounts and firearms with live ammunition. As the media put it, this is one of the largest “big-fish” corruption cases in the Punjab police in recent times.
Let’s reflect on what this verifies:
- Our consistent claim that senior police officers are not immune to corruption is validated.
- Our observation that unexplained wealth and assets appear in law-enforcement circles has found concrete expression.
- The notion that the system to check police misconduct is weak — despite rhetoric — is underlined by the fact that only a CBI trap, not internal vigilance, exposed this case.
- And the idea that “small” cases (like a scrap dealer) can balloon into massive scams when senior officers are involved is clearly borne out.
It’s especially relevant that Bhullar was a high-ranking officer: he held the post of DIG since November 2024 in the Ropar Range (covering Mohali, Rupnagar and Fatehgarh Sahib districts). The fact that someone at this level had allegedly been demanding recurring monthly payments (“sewa-paani”, in the FIR) for protection or settlement shows systemic rot rather than isolated misconduct.
What this means for Punjab and for our work:
- Validation of our reporting: The posts we’ve published over the years — pointing to corruption, lack of oversight, asset accumulation among police — are not alarmism. They have been borne out by major developments.
- Urgency of reform: If one DIG could allegedly amass such wealth while in office, what of the many junior officers and other units? The system for internal monitoring (such as the state Vigilance Bureau, or departmental audits) shows cracks. In fact, opposition leaders are already pointing this out: the arrest has been described as a “collapse of governance and accountability” under the current government.
- Public trust at stake: The role of the police is to safeguard public order and justice — not exploit the vulnerable. When officers demand bribes to settle FIRs, or when they accumulate luxury watches, gold, and properties far beyond any legitimate salary, the erosion of trust becomes inevitable.
- Need for transparency: The investigation must go deeper. Who were the beneficiaries of the conduit payments? What was the trail of the assets? How many other senior officers are in similar positions? The media reports already talk of “benami entities” and over 50 properties tied to Bhullar.
- Our continued vigilance: While this case is headline-making, our website’s mission remains: to monitor, document, and expose corruption in law enforcement and public service. This moment reinforces the importance of that mission.
Conclusion
The case of DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar is a watershed. It underlines what we have long argued: that corruption in the police in Punjab is neither rare nor peripheral — it happens at the highest levels. The evidence is now incontrovertible: the arrests, the recoveries, the properties. For readers of Khalsa-News.net who have followed our articles, this is a vindication.
But vindication is not enough. The story must not end here. The public deserves full accountability. The police force must be cleansed of rot. And we as watchdogs must remain un-relenting.
We said it. It was true. Now the system must act — and we will continue to report.
