DIG Harcharan Bhullar's arrest indicates rampant corruption in top ranks: Punjab Governor

Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Friday said the arrest of Ropar Range DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar in a graft case served as a wake-up call as it showed “rampant corruption in higher echelons”.

He wondered how could corruption on such a scale went unnoticed despite vast administrative machinery in place. “Why we could not see it,” he asked calling the situation unfortunate.

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Referring to news reports that Rs 7 crore in cash was recovered from Bhullar’s residence, Kataria said the amount couldn’t have been accumulated in a single day.

“If such wrongdoing was happening in plain sight, then the system itself is accountable,” the Governor said addressing mediapersons on the sidelines of a programme at Nabha’s Punjab Public School.

Before leaving the venue, the Governor said the arrest would instil faith among people that “all was not lost yet”.

He also called for introspections as the state machinery failed to detect misconduct at such a senior level despite the state government’s anti-corruption drive.

Stressing the seriousness of the matter, he said the officer's arrest by the CBI, a central agency, warranted an introspection on the part of the administrative machinery, which failed to detect misconduct at such a senior level.