Punjab Newsline ,Chandigarh:
From CBI’s authority to the dispute over two FIRs—Bhullar’s petition highlights four key arguments; hearing scheduled in the High Court
Former Punjab Police DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court challenging his arrest, raising serious questions on the legality of the CBI’s action. Bhullar, who faces allegations of bribery and possessing assets disproportionate to his income, has argued in his fresh petition that the investigation and arrest carried out by the CBI are not legally valid. His petition is based on four primary arguments, which, according to him, make the CBI’s proceedings unconstitutional.
Bhullar asserts that he was serving in Punjab at the time of the alleged incident, and therefore, under Section 6 of the DSPE Act, 1946, the CBI was required to obtain prior consent from the Punjab government before initiating any FIR or investigation against him. Without this mandatory approval, he claims the FIR and subsequent arrest are illegal.
According to the petition, the alleged bribery incident took place entirely within Punjab. Bhullar’s counsel argues that the CBI’s Chandigarh unit had no jurisdiction to register an FIR in a matter where the alleged offence occurred in Punjab, which is a separate state, while Chandigarh is a Union Territory. Thus, without state approval, the CBI could neither register the case nor arrest him.
Bhullar further states that the items said to be recovered in Chandigarh were not seized from his personal possession. He claims that the CBI’s portrayal of the recovered material as belonging to him is misleading and factually incorrect.
The fourth and a crucial point raised in the petition relates to the registration of two FIRs for the same offence. Bhullar argues that the Punjab Vigilance Bureau had already registered an FIR before the CBI filed its own. The time gap between the two FIRs is said to be roughly half an hour. Bhullar contends that registering two FIRs for the same alleged crime violates legal principles and subjects him to double jeopardy.
Bhullar was arrested by the CBI on 16 October 2025 on allegations of demanding a bribe of ₹8 lakh. Subsequent raids on his premises reportedly led to the recovery of large amounts of cash, gold, and documents related to properties. The Punjab government suspended him on 19 October. On 29 October 2025, the CBI filed a second FIR against him alleging disproportionate assets. Meanwhile, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau had already initiated a case against him earlier.
In November 2025, the court sent him to CBI custody, and the investigation remains ongoing. The High Court’s decision on his latest petition will determine whether the CBI’s proceedings stand or whether the investigation process will be re-evaluated.