Bhullar’s suspension: No pick & choose in fight against corruption, says Mann

Chandigarh: Days after the arrest of Harcharan Singh Bhullar, DIG, Ropar range, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said any involvement in corrupt activities would not be tolerated and no leniency would be shown.Mann also said he had suspended Bhullar and it would send a clear message that there would be "no pick and choose in the fight against corruption".The CM, in a press statement, mentioned that no officer or politician, regardless of their position or influence, would be spared if found involved in such a "crime against society".He further said Bhullar would be deemed suspended with effect from Oct 16, when he was arrested by the CBI in a bribery case.The CM said corruption-free governance was at the core of the state govt's ethos, which had been consistently demonstrated through its actions over the last four years.He said the Punjab govt upheld a strict zero-tolerance approach by sparing no one found guilty of corrupt practices. "In line with this policy, the IPS officer recently arrested by a central agency for corruption has been suspended," said Mann.Opposition parties in the state had earlier questioned the CM's "silence" in the case, with Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira alleging that it amounted to "admission of guilt".

Mann said the action reflected the Punjab govt's unwavering commitment to ensuring transparency, accountability, and integrity in public service delivery. He noted that corrupt practices eroded public trust, weakened institutions, and hindered national progress, so his govt had accorded top priority to eradicating the menace.He said since assuming office in 2022, his govt launched a sustained crusade against corruption, reaffirming its dedication to clean and transparent governance in Punjab.Earlier on Oct 18, a day after the DIG was sent to 14-day judicial custody in connection with the Rs 8 lakh bribery case, the state govt announced that Bhullar had been suspended. As per Rule 3(2) of the All India Services (Discipline & Appeal) Rules: "A member of the service who is detained in official custody whether on a criminal charge or otherwise for a period longer than forty-eight hours, shall be deemed to have been suspended by the govt concerned under this rule.

"Bhullar, along with another person, was arrested on Oct 16 in connection with a corruption case. He was arrested from his Mohali office following a complaint by a Fatehgarh Sahib-based scrap dealer, who accused the senior IPS officer of demanding recurring monthly payment for "settling" a 2023 FIR against him.