Reiterating his government’s zero-tolerance policy towards corruption, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said Deputy Inspector General of Police (Ropar Range) Harcharan Singh Bhullar, who was arrested by the CBI in a bribery case recently, has been suspended.
Bhullar, along with another person, was arrested on Thursday in connection with a corruption case involving bribery of Rs 8 lakh. In his first comment after Bhullar’s arrest, Mann said that corruption-free governance lies at the core of the state Government’s ethos, which has been consistently demonstrated through its actions over the past four years. Mann emphasised that the Punjab Government has upheld a strict zero-tolerance approach by sparing no one found guilty of corrupt practices. According to an official statement here, Mann stated that, in line with this policy, the IPS officer recently arrested by a central agency for corruption has been suspended.
Mann claimed that this action reflects the Punjab Government’s unwavering commitment to ensuring transparency, accountability, and integrity in public service delivery. He noted that corrupt practices erode public trust, weaken institutions, and hinder national progress, so his government has accorded top priority to eradicating this menace. Mann said the Deputy Inspector General of Police would be deemed suspended with effect from October 16, reiterating that no officer or politician regardless of their position or influence, will be spared if found involved in this grave crime against society.
Any involvement in corrupt activities, he said, will not be tolerated, and no leniency will be shown to those indulging in such acts, he said. Mann said that since assuming office in 2022, his government has launched a sustained crusade against corruption, reaffirming its dedication to clean and transparent governance in Punjab.