New Delhi, October 2026 : Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted searches at Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s camp office in Chandigarh as part of a corruption probe involving his Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Rajbir Singh Ghuman.
The CBI registered an FIR against Ghuman and five others and conducted coordinated searches at eight locations across Chandigarh and Punjab. The searches followed a Punjab and Haryana High Court order directing the agency to investigate allegations of corruption linked to the Chief Minister’s Office. The case was also based on material shared by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Reacting to the action, Kejriwal alleged that the raid was politically motivated and described it as the “result of BJP’s frustration”.
In a post on X, Kejriwal said the CBI action had come two months before the elections and alleged that the BJP was seeking to use central investigative agencies to fight the electoral battle in Punjab.
“Ever since the BJP government came to power at the Centre, it has always pushed Punjabis around — be it the farmers’ movement, the issue of Punjab’s water, or the Punjab University issue. And now, it’s even pushing around their elected Chief Minister,” Kejriwal said.
He further alleged that the BJP could not win elections in Punjab through a direct contest and therefore wanted to rely on agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate and CBI.
Kejriwal also expressed confidence in the AAP’s electoral prospects, saying that voters would respond to the CBI action in the upcoming Assembly elections by returning Bhagwant Mann as Chief Minister.
CBI Searches Eight Locations
The CBI searches covered eight locations in Chandigarh, Mohali, Gurdaspur, Ludhiana, Patiala, Sangrur and Jalandhar. Among the premises searched were Mann’s camp office in Chandigarh, Ghuman’s residence in Gharachon village in Sangrur and the residence of a close relative of the OSD in Mohali.
According to the CBI, laptops, mobile phones and documents were seized during the searches. The agency said the material would be examined for evidence relating to alleged bribery and other improprieties.
The CBI said the FIR was registered following the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s directions and after receiving a report from the ED. The High Court had directed the central agency to register a case after observing that material placed before it prima facie disclosed cognisable offences.
The allegations under investigation include claims that public servants and their associates influenced or manipulated the postings of government officers, including IAS and IPS officers, as well as departmental proceedings, policy formulation, administrative approvals, tender conditions, licensing matters, land-use conversion, property disputes and revenue-related issues in exchange for financial benefits.
The agency has also alleged that drafts of government orders and policies were accessed and shared with private individuals before their official issuance. These allegations remain under investigation and do not constitute findings of guilt.
Six Named in FIR
The CBI has named six accused in the case, including Ghuman, OSD to the Punjab Chief Minister, along with Nitin Gohal, Jitin Gohal alias Raja, Romi Raja Mahajan, Bir Devinder and R.S. Nagra. The FIR also refers to unknown public servants and private persons.
The allegations originated from material provided by the ED concerning an alleged network involving government officials and intermediaries. The ED had alleged that Gohal acted as a middleman between people seeking government favours and Ghuman.
The alleged favours included transfers, access to confidential government documents and assistance in obtaining licences. The ED had earlier shared its findings with Punjab authorities.
Punjab Challenges High Court Order
The CBI investigation follows a Punjab and Haryana High Court order issued after a public interest litigation filed by advocate Nikhil Saraf. The court directed the CBI to register a case and submit a status report on the investigation within two months.
The Punjab government has challenged the High Court’s order before the Supreme Court, arguing against the CBI probe. The matter has therefore moved into a wider legal and political contest even as the central agency proceeds with its investigation.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has also rejected the allegations and accused the BJP of using central agencies to target his government. AAP leaders have similarly questioned the timing of the CBI action, particularly with Punjab’s Assembly elections approaching.
The CBI, meanwhile, has maintained that its searches are part of an investigation ordered by the High Court and based on material received from the ED. The agency said further investigation is in progress.
The case has brought renewed focus on allegations concerning the functioning of the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office, while the competing claims of political targeting and corruption remain part of the ongoing legal and political debate.
