The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at multiple locations in Punjab on Monday as part of a money laundering probe against former state police Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Harcharan Singh Bhullar and entities linked to him, officials said.
Details of the Searches
According to officials, about 11 premises in Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Patiala, Nabha, and Jalandhar linked to the accused, his associates, and suspected benamidars are being covered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), as reported by news agency PTI. The searches aim to trace further proceeds of the alleged crime, identify benami assets, and gather evidence related to money laundering, ED officials stated.
Background of the Probe
The ED probe stems from a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case registered against Bhullar on allegations that he sought illegal gratification through a middleman for the settlement of a criminal case, along with the detection of assets disproportionate to known sources of income. Bhullar, who was serving as the DIG of the Ropar Range, was arrested by the CBI in October 2025 after a scrap dealer alleged that a bribe was demanded from him through an intermediary to settle a case.
The searches conducted by the ED are part of an ongoing effort to uncover the full extent of the alleged money laundering network and to recover proceeds of crime. Officials have not ruled out further action based on the evidence gathered during the raids.
