Fri Oct 24 00:23:29 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the provided text and a rewritten news article based on it:

Summary:

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted a second search of the residence of Harcharan Singh Bhullar, a suspended Deputy Inspector General of Police in Punjab, who was arrested last week on bribery charges. The search was prompted by reports of Bhullar’s lack of cooperation. The CBI seized potential CCTV footage and assessed the value of the home. Bhullar is accused of accepting a bribe from a scrap dealer in exchange for resolving a past FIR and preventing further police action against the dealer’s business. The initial arrest and subsequent searches uncovered significant amounts of cash, gold jewelry, luxury watches, property documents, bank accounts, and firearms.

News Article:

CBI Continues Investigation into Punjab DIG Bribery Case, Conducts Second Residence Search

Chandigarh, October 24, 2025 – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) intensified its investigation into the alleged bribery scheme of suspended Punjab Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG, Ropar Range), Harcharan Singh Bhullar, with a second search of his Sector 40 residence on Thursday, October 23, 2025. Bhullar was arrested last week on bribery charges.

According to officials, the latest search was prompted by reports that Bhullar was not cooperating with the investigation. The CBI focused on obtaining CCTV footage from the residence and evaluating the property’s worth.

Bhullar was arrested on October 16th after a scrap dealer from Mandi Gobindgarh filed a complaint alleging that the DIG demanded ₹8 lakh as a bribe (referred to as “sewa pani”) for settling a 2023 FIR and ensuring no further adverse police action against the dealer’s business. The CBI alleges that Bhullar utilized a middleman, identified as Kirshanu, who was also arrested and found to have ₹21 lakh in his possession.

Subsequent searches following Bhullar’s arrest uncovered a substantial amount of assets, including ₹7.5 crore in cash, 2.5 kg of gold jewelry, 26 luxury watches (including Rolex and Rado brands), documentation for over 50 properties held in the names of family members and suspected benami entities, locker keys, details of numerous bank accounts, and four firearms with 100 live cartridges. The CBI has since been operating several of Bhullar’s bank lockers.

The complainant, Akash Batta, alleged in the FIR that Bhullar demanded recurring monthly payments to avoid further business-related criminal cases. Batta stated he had been falsely accused of using fake bills.

Bhullar, the son of former Punjab Director General of Police M.S. Bhullar, was appointed DIG (Ropar Range), which includes Mohali, Rupnagar, and Fatehgarh Sahib districts, in November 2024. He has been suspended by the Punjab government following his arrest. The investigation is ongoing.

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