The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has accorded sanction for the prosecution of arrested and suspended Punjab DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar, clearing a critical legal hurdle that now paves the way for his trial in a corruption case before a court of competent jurisdiction, senior officials privy to the development told The Tribune on Tuesday.The MHA order, dated January 23, grants sanction under Section 19(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA), 1988, in the name of the President of India, authorising prosecution of Bhullar, a 2009-batch Punjab-cadre IPS officer, under the provisions of the PCA, 1988 (as amended in 2018), read with Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 — based on investigation conducted by the CBI’s anti-corruption branch, Chandigarh.The prosecution sanction came after the MHA examined the investigation records and referred the matter to the Central Vigilance Commission, which recommended grant of sanction after finding sufficient material establishing a prima facie case.The competent authority concluded that prima facie offences punishable under Section 61(2) of the BNS, 2023, and Sections 7 and 12 of the PCA were made out against Bhullar.In a significant parallel development, the CBI today filed a supplementary chargesheet in the corruption case before the Special CBI Court in Chandigarh. The court posted the matter for further hearing to February 21.The supplementary chargesheet, filed under Section 193(9) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, is based on forensic examination of mobile phones recovered from both Bhullar and his alleged middleman, Kirshanu Sharda.According to officials, analysis of the extracted digital data did not reveal any new incriminating material or involvement of additional public servants or private individuals directly linked to the demand, acceptance or recovery of the bribe in the present FIR.However, the officials said independent material recovered from the mobile phones, seized documents and disclosures made during the interrogation indicated separate suspicious transactions involving alleged illegal gratification and misuse of official position by public servants in Chandigarh. These were distinct from the present case and were being examined separately by the agency, sources said.The CBI has accordingly urged the court to take cognisance of both the main and supplementary chargesheet and try both Bhullar and Sharda as per the law.On Monday, the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed Bhullar’s plea seeking regular bail in the corruption case, officials confirmed, delivering yet another legal blow to the suspended IPS officer who has remained behind bars since his arrest in October last year.Both Bhullar and Sharda have been in custody since October 16, when they were arrested in a Rs 5-lakh bribery trap case in Chandigarh. A separate disproportionate assets case was subsequently registered against them by the CBI and the Punjab Vigilance Bureau on October 29.The case traces its origin to a written complaint dated October 11, 2025, by Akash Batta, who alleged that Bhullar, then posted as the DIG, Ropar Range, Punjab, through his associate Kirshanu Sharda, acting as middleman, had demanded illegal gratification for settling an FIR registered against him at the Sirhind police station. The demand, initially pegged at Rs 4 lakh, later escalated to Rs 8 lakh, with Sharda additionally demanding monthly payoffs so the complainant could continue his business without police interference.After verifying the complaint, the CBI laid a trap on October 16 in which Sharda was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 5 lakh as bribe from the complainant on Bhullar’s behalf. A subsequent controlled call, recorded during the trap, captured Bhullar acknowledging receipt of the Rs 5 lakh and directing Sharda to bring the complainant and the remaining bribe amount to his office — establishing acceptance of illegal gratification through an intermediary.Searches at Bhullar’s residence at House No. 1489, Sector 40-B, Chandigarh, and other linked premises following his arrest led to the recovery of Rs 7.36 crore in cash, gold and silver items worth Rs 2.32 crore, 26 luxury watches, including Rolex and Rado, four firearms with over 100 live cartridges and documents relating to more than 50 immovable properties.Five luxury vehicles, including a Mercedes and an Audi, and bank balance and fixed deposits totalling Rs 2.95 crore were also seized. His farmhouse in Samrala near Ludhiana yielded Rs 5.7 lakh cash and 108 liquor bottles.During subsequent raids at seven premises in Patiala and Ludhiana in November, the CBI recovered an additional Rs 20.5 lakh in cash, digital devices and over 50 property documents, pointing to what investigators described as a sprawling benami network. Against this staggering haul, Bhullar’s declared annual income for 2024-25 was a mere Rs 45.95 lakh — or Rs 32 lakh net after tax deductions.