The Supreme Court ordered the CBI to investigate corruption allegations against individuals associated with the AAP government

View of Punjab and Haryana High Court. Photo: Wikipedia

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday (Oct 5, 2026) directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate allegations of corruption related to the office of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The charges leveled by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against civil servants and private individuals associated with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government include corruption in transfers and broadcasts, manipulation of politics, cash for tenders and other serious irregularities.

Supreme Court Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor while delivering their order on the Public Interest Litigation case said that based on a cumulative consideration of the material on record in the petition, the court is of the view that a fair and transparent investigation is required in the matter.

Expressing its displeasure with the manner in which the Punjab Police has handled the matter so far, the court said in its order, “We are also not impressed with the manner in which the Punjab Police has handled the matter so far and therefore we deem it fit to entrust the investigation of this case to the Central Bureau of Investigation, which will register an FIR (First Information Report) to initiate an investigation.”

The report on the outcome of the investigation will be submitted to the court within two months, the Bench ordered. “Both the state of Punjab and the Punjab Police will extend all assistance to the CBI in conducting a fair investigation into the matter,” he added.

The petition relates to allegations of involvement of senior officers of Punjab in various scams including cash for transfers, cash in exchange for favorable policies, cash for tenders and other serious irregularities in which no investigation was conducted despite the ED sharing information with the Punjab Police.

The petitioner, advocate Nikhil Saraf, said that although notices to the Enforcement Directorate under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 had been sent to Punjab, no action had been taken in the matter despite these and other facts of corruption in high public office also highlighted by the petitioner.

Meanwhile, opposition parties attacked the AAP government. Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa of the Congress, demanded the immediate resignation of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, saying the Supreme Court’s decision raised serious questions about the functioning of the state government and the chief minister’s own accountability.

“The Punjab government proudly promotes Bhagwant Mann as an imandaar (honest) chief minister. But if the government is really so honest, why did the Supreme Court feel it necessary to invite an independent agency to investigate the matter?” said Mr. Bajwa.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majitjia said the court order had “revealed the mask of Bhagwant Mann’s honesty”.

In New Delhi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sambit Patra asked AAP senior and national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Mr Mann to clarify the allegations and the extent of the alleged financial irregularities.

Published – 05 Oct 2026 17:58 IST