In a major escalation against alleged police corruption, the ED launched coordinated raids on 11 premises connected to suspended Punjab DIG Harjinder Singh Bhullar on Monday. The operations, spanning key Punjab cities, are part of an ongoing money laundering investigation triggered by bribery scandals.
The searches covered Bhullar’s Chandigarh residence among others: five spots in Ludhiana, two each in Patiala and Chandigarh, plus sites in Nabha and Jalandhar. Investigators are hunting for evidence of laundered funds, benami holdings, and unexplained wealth amassed beyond legitimate earnings.
This probe builds on CBI and ACB FIRs accusing Bhullar of extorting bribes via middlemen to quash a criminal complaint. Financial forensics are underway, with ED teams seizing documents that could expose a web of illicit transactions.
Invoking PMLA Section 17, the agency is empowered to raid suspects and aides. Officials anticipate breakthroughs that could freeze assets and implicate accomplices.
Just weeks ago, the Supreme Court rebuffed Bhullar’s bail plea in the CBI case, led by CJI Suryakant. The court allowed refiling post a two-month trial deadline, highlighting concerns over prolonged detention without trial progress.
With Bhullar already arrested and suspended, these raids mark a pivotal phase. The nation watches as anti-corruption hounds close in, promising accountability in Punjab’s policing apparatus and deterring future malfeasance.
