Chandigarh, Apr 27 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate on Monday conducted searches at multiple locations in Punjab as part of a money laundering probe against suspended state police DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar and entities allegedly linked to him, officials said.

They said about 11 premises in Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Patiala, Nabha (Patiala district) and Jalandhar belonging to Bhullar, his associates and suspected benamidars (the owner in whose name a benami property is held) are being covered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

A team of central paramilitary force personnel escorted the agency's search teams.

The agency recently filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) to initiate this investigation.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe stems from a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case registered against Bhullar.

The allegations are that he sought illegal gratification through a middleman to settle a criminal case and that he possessed assets allegedly disproportionate to his known sources of income.

The searches aim to trace further proceeds of the alleged crime, identify benami assets and gather evidence related to money laundering, ED officials said.

Bhullar, who was serving as the deputy inspector general (DIG) of police (Ropar Range), and an alleged middleman named Krishnau were arrested by the CBI in October 2025 after a scrap dealer alleged that the police officer demanded bribe from him, channelled through the middleman to settle a case against the dealer.

The CBI laid a trap in Chandigarh where they apprehended the middleman while he was allegedly accepting Rs 5 lakh -- part of the total alleged Rs 8 lakh bribe amount.

It also seized Rs 7.50 crore in cash and 2.5 kg of gold jewellery from Bhullar's premises.

Recently, the Supreme Court refused to hear Bhullar's bail plea as it granted him liberty to approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court to seek relief if the trial in the case does not commence within two months. PTI NES PRK

Money laundering probe under PMLA triggers searches for proceeds of crime and benami assets linked to suspended police DIG. Enforcement Directorate searches were conducted at multiple premises in Punjab in a money laundering probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against suspended police DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar, his associates and suspected benamidars. The investigation arises from a CBI case alleging illegal gratification through a middleman and assets disproportionate to known sources of income. The searches were intended to trace proceeds of crime, identify benami assets and collect evidence relating to money laundering.