CBI raids premises of Punjab Police DIG's 'associates' in ill-gotten wealth case

New Delhi: The CBI conducted searches at seven premises in Patiala and Ludhiana on Tuesday in connection with a disproportionate assets case against Harcharan Singh Bhullar, a Punjab police DIG arrested on the charge of accepting bribes, officials said.

The agency has alleged that these premises were linked to persons suspected of acting as 'benamidars' or associates for channelling and investing the ill-gotten wealth of Bhullar into immovable properties and related business ventures, they said.

The searches were spread across Baukar Gujiran, Kalas Khurd, Gobind Nagar, Sargodha Colony, and Sainsowal Kalan villages in Ludhiana and New Moti Bagh Colony and Sira Complex at Lower Mall in Patiala.

During the searches, the CBI seized around Rs 20.5 lakh in cash; digital devices, including an Apple laptop, two mobile phones, and one DVR containing CCTV footage.

Also, more than 50 property-related documents, including sale deeds, transaction papers, and expressions of interest and documents relating to company formation and money transactions, indicating possible concealment of assets, were also seized, a CBI spokesperson said.

"All recovered items have been duly seized and are being examined to establish their nexus with the disproportionate assets amassed by the accused public servant. The searches were conducted in the presence of independent witnesses following due legal procedure," she said.

The CBI has booked Bhullar, already arrested in connection with a bribery case, in a case for amassing disproportionate assets. The action was initiated after the seizure of documents and cash from his residence indicated huge wealth beyond his known sources of income during the CBI probe in the bribery case.

The central probe agency arrested Bhullar on October 16 along with a middleman for allegedly accepting Rs 5 lakh in a bribe from a scrap dealer as "sewa pani".

During searches at his residence at Sector 40B, Chandigarh, in connection with the bribery case, the CBI had seized cash worth over Rs 7.36 crore, jewellery worth over Rs 2.32 crore, 26 branded and luxurious watches, besides documents of immovable properties in the names of family members.

"Acquisition of agricultural land measuring around 150 acres in the districts of Mohali, Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana and commercial properties in the name of H S Bhullar, his family members (comprising wife Tejinder Kaur Bhullar, son Gurpartap Singh Bhullar and daughter Tejkiran Kaur Bhullar) and others," the disproportionate assets FIR has alleged.

The CBI also found that Bhullar and his family members were in possession of five vehicles, including high-end cars such as Mercedes, Audi, Innova and Fortuner.

"There is a balance of Rs. 2.95 crore (approximately) in five bank accounts and two Fixed Deposits in the name of Harcharan Singh Bhullar and his family members," it said.

The CBI found that according to the Income Tax return filed by Bhullar for the assessment year 2025-26, his total declared annual income from all known sources is to the tune of Rs 45.95 lakh.

The agency has alleged that the seizure of property documents, cash and other assets shows that Bhullar, "in connivance with unknown others, has acquired assets disproportionate to his known sources of income" and "intentionally enriched himself illicitly" during the period of his office.

He also could not give a satisfactory explanation about the seized assets, it added.

"The role of family members, who may have abetted Harcharan Singh Bhullar in acquiring assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, may be looked into during the course of investigation," the FIR stated.

The CBI has said that the check period from August 1 to October 17 has been fixed provisionally based on recovery and seizure from the residence of the public servant and preliminary scrutiny of the record.

"The period may be modified or reviewed during the course of investigation after verification of additional assets and sources of illicit enrichment," it said.