CHANDIGARH – The widening Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into arrested Punjab DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar has taken a new turn as his alleged conduit and middleman, Kirshanu Sharda, faces fresh custodial interrogation.
Investigators believe Sharda’s seized phone and diary have exposed a possible cash-for-favours trail extending into bureaucratic, political, and business circles. The forensic extraction of digital data from Sharda’s phone suggests “regular and coded communication” with multiple influential figures who allegedly sought or facilitated undue favours. A diary seized from his house points to “recurring payment entries and quid pro quo references.”
“This is no longer a single case of bribery,” a senior CBI official said, noting the evidence indicates a continuing system of facilitation, illegal gratification, and protection.
Custody and Evidence
The CBI secured nine-day custody of Sharda from the Special CBI Court in Chandigarh on Wednesday to confront him with the seized devices, digital logs, and financial documents. Investigators plan to track meetings and follow the money trail to suspected shell accounts, believing the initial ₹5 lakh bribe was part of a wider “protection and payoff” pattern coordinated by Sharda as Bhullar’s trusted frontman.
DIG Bhullar is already facing a separate FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly amassing assets vastly disproportionate to his known income. The CBI’s extraordinary haul from his properties included:
- ₹7.36 crore in cash.
- Gold and silver worth ₹2.32 crore.
- 26 luxury watches and documents for nearly 150 acres of land across Mohali, Hoshiarpur, and Ludhiana.
- Five luxury vehicles, including a Mercedes and Audi.
The CBI suspects the existence of benami holdings and anticipates “new chapters and names” will emerge from Sharda’s continued interrogation.