Chandigarh: The Union home ministry has granted formal sanction to prosecute suspended Punjab Police DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar, who is facing serious corruption charges. The decision clears the way for trial proceedings against the 2009-batch IPS officer under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The approval was issued on January 23 in the name of the President of India under Section 19(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The sanction follows an investigation conducted by the CBI’s anti-corruption branch, which reportedly found substantial evidence of Bhullar’s involvement in bribery and financial irregularities.
A day earlier, the Punjab and Haryana high court had dismissed Bhullar’s regular bail plea, further compounding his legal troubles.
After examining all documents and records related to the case, the home ministry referred the matter to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). The commission, in its review, also concluded that sufficient material existed to proceed with prosecution.
With the mandatory sanction now in place, the case is expected to be taken up soon before a competent court for trial proceedings.
