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New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) The CBI has registered an additional case of disproportionate assets against Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Harcharan Singh Bhullar, who was suspended and arrested for taking bribes.
CBI had arrested Bhullar while taking a bribe of Rs 5 crore.
However, during subsequent searches, the CBI recovered Rs 7.5 crore in cash, 2.5 kg of gold jewellery, 26 luxury watches, two expensive cars, 100 liters of liquor besides documents of 50 immovable properties.
CBI has now registered a new case of disproportionate assets i.e. acquiring wealth beyond known sources.
The first information report (FIR) was filed on the basis of a written complaint by Inspector Sonal Mishra, which details the following allegations related to the previous case dated October 16, where Bhullar was arrested for demanding and accepting an illegal bribe of Rs 5 lakh.
During the search of his residence, documents seized include properties in Chandigarh (house number 1489, Sector 40-B, and flat number 1014, Sector 39) and documents of acquisition of about 150 acres of agricultural land and commercial properties in Mohali, Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana.
The complaint alleges that the recovery of these assets, which are disproportionate to his known sources of income, prima facie suggests that Bhullar enriched himself illegally during the provisional investigation period from August 1 to October 17.
Last week, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann suspended IPS officer Bhullar.
The Chief Minister said that corruption-free governance is at the core of the ethos of the State Government, which has been consistently demonstrated through its actions in the last four years.
He emphasized that the Punjab government has maintained a strict zero-tolerance approach, not sparing anyone found guilty of corrupt practices.
CM Mann has said that, in line with this policy, an IPS officer who was recently arrested on corruption charges by a central agency has been suspended. He said corrupt practices erode public trust, weaken institutions and hinder national progress, so his government has given top priority to eliminating this menace.
Announcing that the Deputy Inspector General of Police will be deemed to be suspended from October 16, he reiterated that no officer or politician, irrespective of their position or influence, will be spared if found involved in this serious crime against the society.
Bhullar was later arrested and sent to 14-day police custody.
–IANS
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