The CBI filed a corruption case against the Punjab adjutant on the orders of the Supreme Court

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann. File | Photo credit: ANI

A day after the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered the CBI to probe allegations of corruption linked to the office of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the agency on Tuesday registered a case against an officer on special duty (OSD) in the CM’s office and other public servants.

The CBI has booked six people, including two government employees, middlemen and associates, after registering an FIR. “The FIR has been registered to investigate allegations of corruption against the OSD and its associates for influencing and manipulating the ranks of officers including IAS and IPS officers, departmental management, matters relating to policy formulation, administrative approvals, conditions of tenders, licensing matters, land conversion issues, property disputes and matters relating to revenue and land in lieu of monetary benefits,” a CBI official said.

According to the statement of the accused, civil servants allegedly provided draft orders and strategic documents to private individuals before they were issued by the government. At eight locations in Chandigarh, Mohali, Gurdaspur, Ludhiana, Patiala, Sangrur and Jalandhar, coordinated searches were conducted in premises associated with the accused persons during which laptops, mobile phones and documents were seized.

Agencies are abused

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mann claimed that the raids were part of the BJP’s preparations for the Punjab elections.

In a post on ‘X’, Mr Mann said the CBI raided his camp office and alleged that the agency and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) would be misused in Punjab ahead of the 2027 assembly.

“Investigating agencies will be misused… to defame the state government and me… BJP is shaken by the love we are getting from people,” the chief minister said.

Former BJP Punjab President Sunil Jakhar responded by saying, “Government of India did not send CBI, it was ordered by Hon’ble High Court to investigate loot of Punjab on your watch.

injunction

On October 5, the Supreme Court, while announcing its order, said that the charges leveled by the ED against civil servants and private individuals associated with the AAP government include corruption in transfers and broadcasts, manipulation of politics, cash for tenders and other serious irregularities.

The bench observed that after a cumulative consideration of the materials presented in the petition, the court is of the view that a fair and transparent investigation is required.

Leader of Opposition in Punjab Partap Singh Bajwa took a swipe at AAP, referring to the raid in the “CM’s camp office”, saying, “The irony is hard to miss: a place that symbolized Delhi’s remote control over Punjab is now under the CBI scanner.

Published – 06 Oct 2026 20:08 IST