Chandigarh, Oct 16 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday caught red-handed Punjab Police Deputy Inspector General (Ropar Range) Harcharan Singh Bhullar from Mohali for accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh.  It’s learnt that the CBI had laid a trap to arrest him red-handed. Sources said the 2007-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, Bhullar, was accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh every month from a businessman. He was arrested on a bribery complaint. Official sources said the police officer was receiving instalments of bribes from various individuals or companies on a monthly basis, and this arrest was related to one of the bribery complaints.

The police official will be produced in a CBI court in Chandigarh later in the day. After the arrest of the DGI, the CBI has initiated extensive searches at various locations connected to the accused. These searches are expected to unearth further evidence related to him and the bribery allegations. According to sources, Bhullar was extorting a monthly bribe of 5 lakh in connection with a case involving a scrap dealer. Upon receiving a complaint, the agency laid a trap and apprehended the officer.

The incident occurred at a hotel in Mohali, near here. A scrap dealer had filed a complaint with the CBI alleging that Bhullar had demanded a monthly bribe in exchange for allowing his illegal car business to continue. The dealer stated that the DIG initially demanded Rs 2 lakh but later increased the amount to Rs 5 lakh.

A case has been registered against him under several sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Bhullar previously served as Senior Superintendent of Police in various districts. During his tenure in the Ropar Range, several cases of illegal car trade were uncovered, where scrap vehicles were being sold after having their chassis numbers changed.