New Delhi, April 10 The Supreme Court on Friday declined to grant bail to suspended Punjab Police Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Harcharan Singh Bhullar in a corruption case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), but granted him liberty to renew his plea if the trial does not commence within two months.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant said, “While we are not inclined to entertain the prayer for bail at this stage, however, we grant liberty to the petitioner that in case the trial does not commence within two months, he may again approach the High Court for the grant of bail.”
“Such an application shall be considered by the High Court on merits,” added the Bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi, while dismissing the special leave petition (SLP).
Bhullar had approached the apex court challenging a February 16 order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which had rejected his regular bail plea.
In its order, the P&H High Court had observed that the allegations against the senior police officer were “serious in nature” and carried implications for the integrity of the criminal justice system.
“The offence under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, particularly when attributed to an officer of such rank, has serious ramifications for the integrity of the criminal justice system and erodes public confidence in the administration of law,” a single-judge Bench of Justice Sumeet Goel had said.
Refusing bail, the P&H High Court held that material collected during the investigation, including recorded conversations and trap proceedings, “prima facie indicate a demand for illegal gratification and the collection of part of the bribe amount through a co-accused.”
“At this juncture, it cannot be said that the prosecution's case is devoid of prima facie substance,” it added.
The bail order also flagged concerns over possible influence on witnesses, observing that “the mere fact that the petitioner stands suspended does not ipso facto neutralise the possibility of influencing witnesses and tampering with the evidence.”
Dismissing the plea, Justice Goel held that Bhullar did not “deserve the concession of regular bail in the factual milieu of the case.”
According to the prosecution, the case stems from a complaint alleging that Bhullar, then posted as DIG, Ropar Range, demanded illegal gratification through an intermediary for extending favours in a criminal case.
A trap was laid in October 2025, during which a co-accused was allegedly caught accepting part of the bribe.
The development comes after the Supreme Court had earlier declined to entertain Bhullar’s plea seeking a stay on the CBI probe into disproportionate assets cases against him, asking him to pursue remedies before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
--IANS
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