Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday issued notice to the CBI, seeking a reply on a plea filed by suspended Punjab DIG H S Bhullar, seeking regular bail in connection with a corruption case against him. Apart from the premier investigation agency, the HC also asked the complainant, on whose complaint Bhullar was booked, to file a reply on the issue. The matter was fixed for Feb 9 for further hearing.Justice Sumeet Goel issued the notice after taking cognisance of a petition filed by Bhullar, challenging the legality of his detention and alleging a violation of constitutional rights. Bhullar submitted that he was taken into custody at his Mohali office at 11.30 am on Oct 16, 2025, but his arrest was not formally recorded until 8pm that day. It was also contended that he was not produced before a magistrate until after 2 pm the following day, exceeding the 24-hour limit required by law. The bail plea also contended that no money was directly recovered from Bhullar; the “gravamen of the trap” remained centred on Krishanu. As per the petition, Bhullar, a decorated officer with over 30 years of service, was on the verge of retirement and claimed to be targeted for “ulterior motives”. It was also stated that the CBI already filed its final investigation report on Dec 3, 2025, rendering further custodial interrogation unnecessary. Bhullar approached the HC after a special CBI court in Chandigarh dismissed his plea for bail. He is currently confined in Burail jail, Chandigarh. On Oct 16, 2025, the CBI arrested Bhullar, along with a private individual, in a bribery case. The 2009-batch IPS officer, posted as DIG of the Ropar Range, was arrested from his office. The arrest followed a trap laid by the central agency after a complaint filed by Akash Batta was received. The officer allegedly demanded a bribe through a middleman to settle an FIR filed against the complainant. After his arrest, the central agency recovered substantial cash and incriminating material from his various premises, besides 1.5-kg jewellery, documents pertaining to immovable properties, and assets in Punjab. As per the FIR, a written complaint dated Oct 11, 2025, was received from Akash Batta, a resident of Mandi Gobindgarh, Fatehgarh Sahib district, alleging that Harcharan Singh Bhullar, DIG, Ropar Range, demanded illegal gratification through his middleman for settling an FIR registered in 2023 at police station Sirhind against the complainant, and for ensuring that no further coercive or adverse police action was taken against his scrap business.
