Fri Oct 24 00:23:29 UTC 2025: Summary of the Text:

This news article from The Hindu, published on October 24, 2025, reports on the second round of searches conducted by the CBI at the residence of suspended Punjab Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Harcharan Singh Bhullar. Bhullar was arrested the previous week on bribery charges for allegedly accepting ₹8 lakh from a scrap dealer in exchange for settling an old FIR. The searches aimed to find CCTV footage and assess the value of the property, but also follow reports that Bhullar has not been cooperating with investigators. Previous searches revealed a significant amount of wealth, including cash, gold, luxury watches, property documents, and firearms. Bhullar demanded monthly payments (sewa-paani) from the complainant to avoid adverse police action and falsely implicated him in a 2023 case.

News Article:

Second CBI Raid Uncovers More Evidence in Punjab DIG Bribery Case

Chandigarh, October 24, 2025 – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted a second raid on the residence of suspended Punjab Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Harcharan Singh Bhullar, on Thursday, October 23, 2025, according to officials. The fresh search comes after Bhullar’s arrest last week on bribery charges and amid reports of non-cooperation with investigators.

The raid, conducted at Bhullar’s Sector 40 residence, sought to locate CCTV footage and evaluate the property’s value. This follows an initial search that uncovered a massive accumulation of wealth, including ₹7.5 crore in cash, 2.5 kg of gold jewelry, 26 luxury watches (including Rolex and Rado brands), documents for over 50 properties held in the names of family members and suspected shell entities, locker keys, multiple bank accounts, and four firearms with 100 rounds of ammunition.

Bhullar was arrested on October 16 after a complaint from a scrap dealer, Akash Batta, who alleged the DIG demanded ₹8 lakh as a bribe to settle a 2023 FIR against him and demanded recurring monthly payments, referred to as “sewa-paani,” threatening to falsely implicate Batta in other business-related crimes if he failed to pay. A middleman, identified as Krishanu, was also arrested with ₹21 lakh in his possession.

The CBI alleges that Bhullar demanded the illegal payments to settle the 2023 case registered against Batta in Sirhind and to prevent any further adverse police action against his business.

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

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