CBI raids Bhagwant Mann’s camp office as BJP alleges Punjab funds diverted to other polls

Chandigarh: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday searched Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s camp office in Chandigarh and premises linked to his Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Rajbir Singh Ghuman, a day after the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered a CBI probe into allegations of corruption involving officials and associates connected to the Chief Minister’s Office. 

The searches, conducted at eight locations across Punjab and Chandigarh, came amid a widening political confrontation over the allegations.  

Meanwhile, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh accused the Mann government and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of diverting Punjab’s resources to support election campaigns in other states, including Goa and Gujarat.  

The two developments relate to the broader political controversy surrounding the Mann government, but the CBI’s current investigation focuses on alleged corruption involving Ghuman and others.

The BJP has separately alleged that Punjab diverted resources for elections in other states, but the CBI investigation has not found this.

CBI searches Mann’s camp office, OSD’s premises

The CBI registered an FIR against Ghuman and five others following the High Court’s October 5 order directing the agency to investigate allegations based on material shared by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The agency named Ghuman, Nitin Gohal, Jitin Gohal alias Raja, Romi Raja Mahajan, Bir Devinder and RS Nagra as accused. The FIR also refers to unknown public servants and private persons.

According to the CBI, the allegations include influencing and manipulating officer postings, including IAS and IPS officers, departmental proceedings, policy formulation, administrative approvals, tender conditions, licensing matters, land-use conversion, property disputes, and revenue and land-related matters, in exchange for financial benefits.

The agency has also alleged that government officials accessed and shared drafts of government orders and policies with private individuals before their official release.

The searches covered Mann’s camp office in Sector 2, Chandigarh, Ghuman’s residence in Gharachon village in Sangrur and the residence of a close relative in Mohali.

The CBI also searched premises in Patiala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Gurdaspur.

The CBI said it seized laptops, mobile phones, and documents during the searches and is examining the material for evidence of alleged bribery and other improprieties. The investigation is continuing.

The case stems from allegations first flagged by the ED. While directing the CBI probe, the High Court said the material placed before it prima facie disclosed cognizable offenses and ordered the central agency to conduct an independent investigation.

The court also sought a status report from the CBI within two months. The allegations remain subject to investigation and have not been established as guilt.

The Punjab government has challenged the High Court’s order in the Supreme Court, arguing against the CBI investigation.

BJP alleges Punjab resources used for other polls

Against this backdrop, the BJP stepped up its attack on the Mann government, alleging that Punjab resources were being used to support AAP’s political activities and election campaigns outside the state.

BJP MP Tarun Chugh alleged that Punjab was being used as a source of funds for AAP’s campaigns in other poll-bound states, specifically Goa and Gujarat.

His allegations came as the CBI investigation into Mann’s office and his OSD intensified.

The allegation adds another political dimension to the controversy, with Punjab, Goa and Gujarat among the states facing elections in the 2027 cycle. The BJP has already made organizational appointments for the poll-bound states, and its state-level preparations are underway.

However, the CBI's FIR and its statement on Tuesday offer no indication that the agency's searches were linked to an investigation into the alleged diversion of Punjab funds for election campaigns in Goa or Gujarat.

The CBI said it is focusing on an alleged corruption network involving Ghuman and his associates, including alleged manipulation of government processes and decisions.

Mann, meanwhile, has rejected the allegations and accused the BJP of using central investigative agencies for political purposes ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections.

Reacting to the raid, he said the BJP had started preparing for the Punjab polls and alleged that the CBI and ED were being used to defame his government and him personally.

The AAP has also criticised the CBI action, while the BJP has rejected the charge that the investigation was politically motivated, pointing out that the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered the CBI probe rather than the central government initiating it.

The developments have intensified the political battle in Punjab ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.

For now, the CBI investigation remains at an early stage, with the agency examining material seized during the searches and probing the allegations against Ghuman and the other accused.

The separate BJP allegations about using Punjab resources for campaigns in other states remain political claims and have not been established by the ongoing CBI probe.