Full Breakdown
Punjab High Court Orders CBI Probe into Corruption Allegations Linked to CM Bhagwant Mann’s Office
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On October 5 2026, the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register a First Information Report (FIR) and investigate corruption allegations involving Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Rajbir Singh Ghuman, private intermediary Nitin Gohal, and associates. The order followed a Public Interest Litigation by advocate Nikhil Saraf, who said the Punjab Police had ignored Enforcement Directorate (ED) communications.
Background & Context
The ED sent three letters to Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav—the first on July 30 2026—under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, seeking FIR registration. The letters alleged:
- Interference in transfers and postings of officers.
- Access to confidential policy drafts.
- Facilitation of arms-licence approvals and land-use permissions.
- Payments and kickbacks for official favours.
The ED’s material listed 21 instances of transfer interference, 11 WhatsApp chats on policy matters, six chats on land issues, four chats on information leaks, and 11 chats on alleged payments. A cash seizure of Rs 20.98 lakh from Gohal was reported.
Timeline
- May 7-10 2026 – ED searches linked to a money-laundering case.
- July 30 2026 – First ED letter to DGP.
- July 31 2026 – ED attempts hand-over.
- August 7 2026 – ED reminder.
- August 28 2026 – Punjab Police claim many chats illegible.
- October 5 2026 – High Court orders CBI probe.
- December 7 2026 – Deadline for CBI status report.
Data & Statistics
- 21 alleged transfer/posting interferences.
- 11 policy-related chats.
- 6 land-use chats.
- 4 information-leak chats.
- 11 payment/kickback chats.
- Rs 20.98 lakh cash recovered.
Official Statements & Responses
The bench of Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor said a “fair and transparent investigation” was required and criticized the Punjab Police’s handling of the ED material. The court directed the CBI to file an FIR and submit a report within two months, with the state government and police to assist.
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the state will challenge the decision in the Supreme Court, noting the AAP government withdrew general consent for CBI investigations in 2020. Both Rajbir Ghuman and Nitin Gohal have denied the allegations.
Criticism & Opposition
Opposition leaders seized on the order:
- Partap Singh Bajwa, Leader of the Opposition, called for Mann’s resignation.
- Sukhbir Singh Badal, Akali Dal president, said the ED’s request was ignored, forcing judicial intervention.
- Virendra Sachdeva, Delhi BJP president, called the situation “deeply concerning.”
- Pargat Singh, Punjab Congress president, demanded a “fair, impartial, transparent and time-bound” probe.
- Bikram Singh Majithia, BJP leader, warned the order exposed the “true face” of the AAP regime.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Both Ghuman and Gohal have publicly rejected the allegations, while the court noted the material was “voluminous and contains incriminating material,” leaving merits to the investigation.
What’s Next
The CBI must file an FIR and begin investigation promptly. A status report is due December 7 2026, after which the High Court will review findings. The Punjab government has indicated it will appeal the order before the Supreme Court.