The Supreme Court on Friday refused to grant bail to suspended Punjab Deputy Inspector General Harcharan Singh Bhullar in a corruption case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), while granting him freedom to revive his confession if the trial does not begin within two months.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalia Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi said it found no merit in Bhullar’s plea challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s denial of bail. But the bench added that Bolar would be free to approach court again in case of delay in the start of the trial.
Bhullar had moved the Supreme Court against a February 16 order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which had rejected his bail application in the corruption case registered on October 16 last year.
The Supreme Court had upheld an earlier order of the Chandigarh Magistrate Court on January 2 denying bail, which termed the allegations against the senior IPS officer as constituting an “economic crime of concern”.
Read also: The Supreme Court points out the danger of “dividing society” if access to the temple is restricted by caste or caste
In his plea before the Supreme Court and the High Court, Bhullar maintained that the investigation in the case has been completed and the charge sheet has been filed on January 3, making further custodial interrogation unnecessary.
Bhullar, who was represented by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi in the Supreme Court, said he did not pose a flight risk and had deep roots in the community. The petition also stated that the prosecution’s case was largely based on official witnesses, and since he had already been suspended from duty, there was no possibility of him influencing witnesses or tampering with evidence.
Bhullar also confirmed that he had already served a long period of time in custody and that the maximum sentence in this case, if convicted, was seven years. He said continued pre-trial detention would amount to punitive detention, which was contrary to the well-established principles governing the granting of bail.
The CBI, prior to the trial and the higher courts, had opposed his confession, citing the seriousness and seriousness of the allegations, the specific role attributed to him, and the possibility of him influencing witnesses or interfering with the course of justice if he were released.
According to the agency, Bhullar, a 2009 batch IPS officer posted as DIG, Ropar Range, was arrested on October 16 along with an alleged middleman, Krishanu Sharda, a 29-year-old national level hockey player, following a complaint from a scrap dealer from Mandi Gobindgarh.
The CBI claimed that Bhullar was caught asking for and accepting a bribe $8 lakh through an intermediary to “settle” a criminal case against the complainant. The agency further alleged that the officer was requesting recurring monthly payments.
Subsequent searches at Bhullar’s Chandigarh residence reportedly led to the recovery of nearly 1,000 people $Rs 7.5 crore in cash, gold and silver jewellery $2.32 crore, 22 luxury watches, several luxury vehicles, around 40 liters of imported liquor, and documents relating to extensive immovable assets. These included nearly 129 acres of agricultural land, multiple urban properties in Patiala, Ludhiana, Mohali and New Chandigarh, and about 50 commercial shops in Machhewara.
Bhullar has been lodged in the Model Jail in Chandigarh since his arrest.
The CBI also registered a separate case against him on charges of possessing disproportionate assets. While the chargesheet in this case is yet to be filed, Bhullar was granted bail by the trial court on January 5 in those proceedings.
Apart from the bail plea, Bhullar had earlier objected to registration of the case by the CBI and raised a judicial objection that the federal agency cannot investigate or arrest the Punjab IPS officer without obtaining the requisite approval. He failed to get relief from the Supreme Court and later from the Supreme Court in December 2025 on the issue.
