Samvad Patar, Chandigarh
The story of DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar (Case is Just the Tip of the Iceberg) does not begin with his arrest. It begins much earlier, in the dusty lanes of industrial towns, in the long lines of trucks waiting at border check-posts, in the offices of excise clerks, and in the quiet corridors of the Punjab Mini Secretariat where files move slowly but money moves fast. It begins in a world where a businessman, an inspector, a vigilance officer, an IAS officer, and a gangster often share the same table.
Bhullar’s arrest by the CBI has only pulled away the first layer. Beneath that layer lies a structure that has been growing for years. It is a structure where illegal trade, tax evasion, fake billing, political protection, and administrative silence have merged into one common interest: profit. And this profit is shared through an organised, deeply connected system that many call the “real government of Punjab.”
A Complaint That Opened a Wound
In official records, the story begins with a complaint by scrap dealer Akash Batta from Gobindgarh. He alleged that DIG Bhullar, through his close associate Krishanu, demanded heavy bribes to clear FIR No. 155 of 2023 and allow his trucks to pass without harassment. But officers who have worked in the system quietly say the complaint was only a matchstick thrown into a haystack already soaked with fuel.
The CBI’s move surprised many. DIG-level arrests are rare. The allegations of assets beyond known income were serious, but what shocked the system was what followed inside the jail. When Krishanu was taken there, two senior Excise and Taxation officers came to meet him. An IAS officer also walked in. For officers of their rank to visit a police-linked suspect in jail suggested something deeper. It raised one simple question: who were they trying to save?
A Web That Enlarged With Every Step
The investigation soon showed that this case was not limited to police bribery. It pointed towards a coordinated network. Fake bills, manipulated GST numbers, organised “truck passing,” and “monthly payments” were whispered in every department. Sources said that for a long time, Krishanu had helped get trucks passed with false documents. He did not work alone. Batta, despite being a complainant now, was once part of this network. Another man, a known truck passer called “Sarpanch” or Vishwanath, was said to be central to operations. During one senior IPS officer’s time in the Vigilance Bureau, truck passers and excise officers functioned with clear knowledge of who needed to be paid and how much.
The story grows stranger. In 2020, during the Captain Amarinder Singh government, Ambala-based truck passer Sodhi gave a detailed statement regarding the inquiry of FIRs 8 and 9, which were related to the truck-passing network and fake billing involving excise and taxation officers. A witness, Daljit Singh, gave a detailed statement under Section 164 before a judge. He named several senior officers. But the names stopped at the doorsteps of power. Lower officials were targeted. Those higher up were left untouched. Many in the bureaucracy still believe that one of Captain Amarinder’s closest advisors intervened to protect key officers whose roles were exposed.
The Fear Inside the Secretariat
It is being claimed by Arbide World News editor Devinder Pal, in a video published on 3rd Dec, 2025, that after Bhullar’s arrest, the CBI quietly called a Class-Four employee from the Mini Secretariat in Sector 9 for questioning.
(Editor’s Note: We clearly state that this specific information is not confirmed by any official source, and viewers are advised to treat it with due caution.)
His job was simple: he sits outside IAS offices daily. He sees who goes in, who comes out, and who meets whom. Investigators reportedly needed him to identify voices that had surfaced in certain phone recordings found on Krishanu’s device.
This small action sent shockwaves through the Secretariat. Some officers began avoiding the corridors. Others called lawyers. A few even reached out to doctors complaining of stress and sleeplessness. One senior IAS officer, already known for issuing dozens of arms licences in a single day during a previous posting, again found his name whispered in administrative circles.
The fear was real. For years, the system had worked quietly, sharing responsibilities and sharing profits. Now, the CBI’s footsteps echoed across the floors.
The Excise Department Trembles
But the place where the tremors were felt most sharply was the Excise and Taxation Department. The day after the DIG’s arrest, the department hurriedly removed six STOs (State Tax Officers) from road-checking duties—officials from the mobile wings of Shambu and Ropar. These officers, including Amanpreet Singh, Jasmeet Singh, and Rajiv Sharma, had been repeatedly linked with Krishanu and the truck-passing nexus. Until then, a political figure had reportedly blocked their transfers.
Many insiders say the reason was simple. Even after Bhullar’s arrest, money continued to flow. So long as the system remained undisturbed, there was no need to touch the officers. But when the CBI began widening the scope of the investigation, the same political figure allowed the transfers to go through.
Still, in cities like Ludhiana, where 50 percent of Punjab’s industrial trade and tax operations happen, the same networks continue their work. Even if individuals change, the mechanism remains the same.
The GST Scam That Bleeds Punjab Quietly
The most complex part of this system is the fake GST billing network. It is one of the biggest financial leaks in Punjab’s history. Fake firms are created, GST numbers issued, fake trades recorded, and large input tax credits claimed. Then, before the financial year closes, the GST numbers are cancelled.
Once cancelled, the firm becomes “inactive.” It almost disappears from the radar of audits. The GST Act allows cancellation if returns are not filed for six months. Officers issue notices. Nobody replies. Registrations are cancelled. On paper, it looks like action. In reality, it is an escape route that benefits the masterminds behind the scam.
The frontmen of these fake firms are often poor labourers, auto drivers, or even rickshaw pullers. Their PAN cards are misused. When the fraud comes out, the real players stay hidden. The poor frontmen cannot explain anything. They do not even know their names were used. Lawyers who represent such firms are often from the same circle, appearing again and again in similar cases.
Tax officers impose penalties on a few small cases. They show performance reports. They collect appreciation. The real loss—estimated to be ₹70,000 to ₹80,000 crore annually—continues without interruption.
The Political Dimension
Sources in political circles say that the revenue leakage and bribe network link not only officers but also political influencers. While no names are officially confirmed, officers claim that at least one well-known political figure had resisted transfers of mobile-wing officers because the financial flow remained steady.
But once the CBI’s pressure touched the excise department, uncertainty grew. Political pressure protecting certain officers started to weaken. Officers in the department now operate in an atmosphere of quiet panic, unsure of how much the CBI knows.
The Bigger Question: Who Runs the State?
When you look at all these pieces together, the story becomes bigger than the arrest of a DIG. It becomes a question about the structure of governance. If officers in police, vigilance, excise & taxation, administration, and legal networks work together, then who controls whom? The elected government, or the parallel economy that feeds through every loophole?
Bhullar’s arrest might be a turning point. Or, as many fear, it may become a cover—a single high-profile arrest used to hide the involvement of dozens of others.
The Pattern of Partnerships
In many interviews with people connected to the transport and trading sectors across Fatehgarh, Gobindgarh, Jalandhar, and Bathinda, the pattern remains the same. Officers from different departments coordinate through middlemen. Truck passers operate with a clear understanding of which officer to pay. Fake bill operators know exactly when to cancel GST numbers and when to restart with new ones. Lawyers guide them through loopholes. Everyone gets a share.
Those who try to stay clean are called fools. Those who do not pay are called thieves. And those who control the system decide who will fall and who will be protected.
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Where Does the Story Go Now?
With the CBI already verifying voices, collecting statements, and examining internal records, the next moves will decide the direction of the state. If the investigation reaches the excise officers named in confidential reports, then the IAS officers linked to them will automatically come under scrutiny. If the investigation reaches senior officers named in Daljit’s Section 164 statement from 2020, it may expose decisions taken across two governments—the previous Congress government and the current AAP government.
Will the CBI take that step? Will the political leadership allow such an investigation to continue freely? These are questions that will shape the months ahead.
The Cost of Silence
For years, Punjab’s economy has suffered. Industry has slowed. Revenue collection has dropped. Small businesses have closed. Yet, the tax leakage from fake billing has risen every year. Everyone knew it. Few spoke about it. Because the system rewarded silence.
Now, with Bhullar’s arrest, the silence is breaking. And breaking loudly.
The Final Question
Is the arrest of DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar the beginning of a crackdown on a decades-old corruption network? Or is it a curtain drawn over the real stage, while the main actors wait behind it, untouched?
Punjab will find the answer only if the investigation continues honestly. For now, one truth stands out clearly:
The system that should protect the state has been protecting itself. Its networks were invisible only because everyone inside them wanted them to stay invisible.
But now the story is out. And Punjab is watching.
