NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH, APRIL 10:The Supreme Court has upheld the continued incarceration of suspended Punjab DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar, dismissing his challenge against the high court’s refusal to grant him bail. The bench affirmed on Friday that the nature of the corruption allegations against the senior official required a cautious legal approach, though it noted that the officer could reapply for relief should the judicial proceedings fail to begin in a timely manner.
The case originated on October 16, when the CBI arrested Bhullar and an associate, Krishanu Sharda, for allegedly soliciting funds from a local businessman. The prosecution maintained that the officer used his position as DIG of the Ropar Range to demand an initial payment of ₹8 lakh followed by monthly bribes. Investigators asserted that the senior official was caught in the act of accepting the illegal gratification through an intermediary.
During the proceedings, the defense maintained that the investigation is already complete and that Bhullar has spent a significant amount of time in jail. Counsel for the officer argued that the prosecution’s reliance on official witnesses makes it nearly impossible for the accused to interfere with the case while on bail. They declared that keeping the officer in custody before his guilt is proven violates established legal principles regarding personal liberty.
However, the federal agency highlighted the extraordinary scale of the assets recovered during the probe as a reason to deny bail. The CBI affirmed that they discovered high-end vehicles, 40 liters of imported liquor, and records for approximately 50 commercial shops in Machhiwara linked to the officer. The agency asserted that the recovery of such vast amounts of cash and luxury goods points to a systemic pattern of corruption that warrants a rigorous trial process.
Bhullar had previously attempted to challenge the CBI’s jurisdiction to arrest a serving officer in Punjab without specific state consent, but that effort was dismissed by the Supreme Court in late 2025. Currently lodged in Chandigarh’s Model Jail, the IPS officer now awaits the start of his trial, with the top court setting a two-month window for the commencement of proceedings before he can once again petition for his release.
