'8 fadne ne 8': Damning WhatsApp call recording that 'captures' Punjab DIG ordering middleman to collect 'bribe'

Crucial evidence supporting corruption charges against Punjab Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Harcharan Singh Bhullar — who was arrested by the CBI on Thursday — hinges on details laid out in the FIR, which includes the recording of a WhatsApp call in which instructions for collecting the bribe money are puportedly being given.

The complaint, which was filed by Naresh Batta, a scrap dealer based in Mandi Gobindgarh, stated that he demanded substantial bribes to settle a 2023 criminal case and ensure immunity from further action.

According to the complainant, Bhullar allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 8 lakh through a middleman identified as Kirshanu, who has also been arrested. The payment was reportedly demanded to settle a 2023 FIR that was lodged at the Sirhind police station and to ensure that Batta faced no further coercive action.

The FIR, which serves as the foundation of the CBI investigation, detailed that the bribe demands were not isolated incidents. The complaint alleged that DIG Bhullar had been routinely demanding monthly payments, which he referred to with the term ‘sewa-paani’. Furthermore, the DIG allegedly threatened to falsely implicate the complainant in business-related criminal cases if he failed to comply with these monthly demands. The scrap dealer alleged that, aside from the monthly payments, Bhullar had demanded a total of Rs 28 lakh.

Digital evidence seals the case, claims Punjab Police

The most compelling detail highlighted in the FIR is the inclusion of the recorded communication between the accused DIG and the middleman. The complaint includes the recording of a purported WhatsApp call that took place on October 11, originating from the Sector 9-D market in Chandigarh.

In the recording, the police officer is allegedly heard instructing Kirshanu to collect the specific sum of money from the scrap dealer. The FIR contains the damning exchange, quoting the DIG as saying:

“...8 fadne ne 8… Chal jinna denda nal nal fadi chal, ohnu kehde 8 kar de pura (Take Rs 8 lakh… or accept whatever he gives. But tell him he must complete Rs 8 lakh)”

This specific quote from the recorded call directly supports the allegation of the Rs 8 lakh bribe demand.

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Massive seizures follow arrests

The arrests of Bhullar and Kirshanu have led to massive seizures of assets, underscoring the scale of the alleged corruption.

During searches at Bhullar’s residence in Chandigarh’s Sector 40, the CBI claimed to have recovered Rs 5 crore in cash and 1.5 kg of gold. The volume of the recovered currency was so extensive that the CBI had to bring in cash-counting machines nearly four hours into the search operation.

Beyond the cash and gold, investigators seized a trove of luxury items and assets, including keys to BMW and Audi cars, documents related to properties in Punjab (including a farmhouse in Samrala), 22 luxury watches, 40 litres of imported liquor, and multiple firearms, including a double-barrel gun, a pistol, a revolver, and an airgun, along with a large quantity of ammunition.

An additional sum of Rs 21 lakh was also seized from the possession of the arrested middleman, Kirshanu. CBI officials have indicated that searches related to the case were still underway at the time of reporting.