Suspended DIG of Punjab Police HS Bhullar again moves High Court for bail
The Supreme Court had given the liberty to the accused in April that in case the trial does not commence within two months, he may again approach High Court for grant of bail
Suspended Punjab DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar has once again moved Punjab and Haryana High Court for seeking regular bail in a corruption case registered against him in October last year.
Bhullar filed the application two months after the Supreme Court gave him liberty to approach the High Court in case the trial does not commence within two months.
In the order pronounced on April 10, a three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant said, “While we are not inclined towards entertaining the prayer for bail at this stage, we grant liberty to the petitioner that in case the trial does not commence within two months, he may again approach the High Court for grant of bail. Such an application shall be considered by the High Court on merits. With liberty aforesaid, the Special Leave Petition is dismissed.”
Bhullar had approached the apex court challenging the high court’s February 16 order, which had rejected his bail application. The contention of the senior advocate appearing for the accused that the investigation had already concluded and both the primary and supplementary charge sheets had been filed.
In such a situation, continued detention served no purpose, especially as the accused was under suspension and posed no risk of absconding.
Before the high court, Bhullar maintained that most of the witnesses were official in nature and argued that his suspension ruled out any possibility of influencing them or tampering with evidence.
Bhullar’s alleged aide Krishanu Sharda was apprehended while allegedly accepting Rs 5,00,000 as part of the demanded bribe from the complainant on October 16, 2025. Bhullar was arrested on the same day and the charge sheet under Section 193 of the BNSS has been filed on December 3, 2025.
The FIR in the case was registered on the complaint of a person named Akash Batta, who alleged that Bhullar, who was then posted as DIG, Ropar Range, Punjab Police, had demanded illegal gratification through a private intermediary, Krishanu Sharda, for securing favourable treatment in an FIR registered at the Sirhind police station and for ensuring that no coercive steps were taken against the business of the complainant.
During the last hearing on June 6, the special CBI court, Chandigarh, while dismissing an application of Bhullar, for declaring prosecution sanction given against him by the Ministry of Home Affairs invalid adjourned the hearing for July 2 for arguments on the charges.
