Harcharan Singh Bhullar, a senior Punjab Police deputy inspector general from Ropar, was arrested on Wednesday after he was caught red-handed in a recorded call, demanding a bribe of ₹8 lakh from a scrap dealer for ‘settling’ FIRs registered against the man.
The Ropar DIG was exposed after the CBI laid a trap and obtained a recorded WhatsApp call between him and his middleman, Kirshanu.
In the controlled call, Bhullar is heard asking the middleman to “collect ₹8 lakh from him.” “Him” here refers to the Akash Bhatta, a scrap dealer who had made the initial complaint to the police.
The DIG then asked him to “Jinna denda nal nal fadi chal, ohnu kehde 8 kar de pura (Collect whatever he gives and ask him to give ₹8 lakh in total)."
In the recording, the DIG is also heard directing he middleman on what to say to the complainant. At one point, Bhullar tells Kirshanu, "Edda kehna pata ki hai... kehnda hai August da ni aaya, September da ni aaya (You know what to say. Ask him that he didn't give the bribe for August and September)."
Through this, the CBI confirmed that the DIG was demanding a “sewa-paani” or a monthly bribe from the complainant, the Hindustan Times reported.
Kirshanu was also arrested by authorities on Thursday 0at Chandigarh’s Sector 9D market.
A CBI statement said, "During the trap proceedings, a controlled call was made to the public servant, during which he acknowledged the payment and directed the middleman and complainant to come to his office. Subsequently, the CBI team apprehended the public servant from his office and arrested the other accused in Chandigarh."
Bhullar is the son of former Punjab director general of police Mehal Singh Bhullar. He is a 2007 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and assumed charge at the Ropar in November of last year.
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He was arrested on Thursday from his office in Mohali, and raids were conducted at his workplace and private residence in Chandigarh. The CBI uncovered ₹5 crore in cash and over 1.5 kilograms of gold.
They also found documents relating to immovable properties across Punjab, two luxury vehicles, a mercedes and an Audi, and 22 wrist watches. Additionally, they also found a Locker key and 40 litres of imported liquor, and firearm, and ammunition, which included a double-barrelled shotgun, a pistol, a revolver, and an airgun.
The authorities also recovered ₹21 lakh of cash from Kirshanu.
The two accused will be brought before court on Friday . Further investigations and ongoing.