ED freezes Rs 1.4 crore after raids across 11 premises linked to Harcharan Bhullar in money laundering probe
PTC News Desk: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized ₹1.4 crore and recovered key documents related to alleged money laundering involving suspended Punjab Deputy Inspector General of Police Harcharan Singh Bhullar, a senior ED official told The Tribune on Wednesday.
Search operations were conducted on Monday at 11 locations across Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Patiala, and Jalandhar. These raids, carried out by the ED’s Chandigarh Zonal Office under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, targeted properties linked to Bhullar, his associates such as property dealers, and suspected “benamidars.” Officials said investigations are ongoing to uncover links between property dealers, intermediaries, and public servants connected to Bhullar.
The probe found large cash deposits and bank transfers in the accounts of several property dealers and suspected benamidars, many of whom had no legitimate income matching their investments. Investigators believe unaccounted money was routed through multiple accounts and layered before being used to purchase properties in others’ names.
Earlier, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had recovered original property documents from Bhullar’s residence in Sector 40-B, Chandigarh, indicating his ownership of these assets. During the latest searches, more evidence related to residential and agricultural properties in Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Kapurthala, Mohali, and Zirakpur was seized, all of which is now under investigation.
Bhullar and his associate Sharda were arrested on October 16, 2025, in an ₹8-lakh bribery trap case. Previous searches at his residence had uncovered ₹7.36 crore in cash, gold and silver worth ₹2.32 crore, 26 luxury watches, four firearms, documents linked to over 50 properties, and five luxury vehicles—despite a declared annual income of ₹45.95 lakh for 2024–25. Both have remained in judicial custody since their arrest, and the Punjab and Haryana High Court rejected Bhullar’s regular bail plea on February 16.
- PTC NEWS
