Chandigarh:
The Central Bureau of Investigation has conducted searches at the camp office of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The move comes ahead of a Supreme Court hearing in a case linked to alleged interference in transfers, postings and government functioning. The search was part of a series conducted at eight locations linked to an alleged corruption case. Searches were carried out across Chandigarh, Mohali, Gurdaspur, Ludhiana, Patiala, Sangrur and Jalandhar. The agency had seized laptops, cellphones and documents, which are currently being examined for evidence related to bribery and alleged impropriety.
Bhagwant Mann has alleged that the BJP – “rattled” by love he and his government received is misusing the Central agencies ahead of the state assembly election. “The BJP has started preparations for the Punjab elections… A CBI raid was conducted at my camp office… Now, the ED and CBI will be misused in Punjab… in order to defame the Punjab government and me… The BJP is rattled by the love being received from the people,” he posted on X.
ਭਾਜਪਾ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੀਆਂ ਚੋਣਾਂ ਦੀ ਤਿਆਰੀ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ..ਮੇਰੇ ਕੈਂਪ ਆਫ਼ਿਸ ਵਿੱਚ CBI ਰੇਡ ਕੀਤੀ ਗਈ..ਹੁਣ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਵਿੱਚ ED ਤੇ CBI ਦੀ ਦੁਰਵਰਤੋਂ ਕੀਤੀ ਜਾਵੇਗੀ..ਤਾਂ ਕਿ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਅਤੇ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਬਦਨਾਮ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾ ਸਕੇ..ਲੋਕਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਮਿਲਦੇ ਪਿਆਰ ਨੂੰ ਦੇਖਕੇ ਭਾਜਪਾ ਘਬਰਾਹਟ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੈ..
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) October 6, 2026
In a post, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said: “The CBI raid on the Punjab Chief Minister’s office two months before the elections is the result of the BJP’s frustration. Ever since the BJP government came to power at the Center, 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”.
चुनाव से दो महीने पहले पंजाब के मुख्यमंत्री कार्यालय पे CBI की रेड बीजेपी कि बौखलाहट का नतीजा है। जब से सेंटर में बीजेपी की सरकार आई है उसने पंजाबियों के साथ हमेशा ही धक्का किया है चाहे किसान आंदोलन हो, पंजाब के पानी का मुद्दा हो, पंजाब यूनिवर्सिटी का मुद्दा हो। और अब तो उनके चुने हुए मुख्यमंत्री के साथ भी धक्का कर रही। बीजेपी चुनाव लड़के पंजाब में जीत नहीं सकती तो ED-CBI के सहारे चुनाव लड़ना चाहती है। लेकिन पंजाबियों ने अपना मन बना लिया है और बीजेपी के CBI रेड का जवाब आने वाले चुनाव ने भगवंत मान को 100+ सीटों से जीता कर दोबारा मुख्यंत्री बना कर देंगे।
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) October 6, 2026
The BJP pointed out that it is not the government’s prerogative to order CBI raids. Sunil Jakhar, the Congress leader who joined the BJP, in a post on social media platform X, said: “Bhagwant Mann ji, the CBI has not been sent by the Government of India, it has been ordered by the Hon’ble High Court to investigate this loot of Punjab under your watch.”
“Stop lamenting. The court itself is monitoring the investigation. If you are truthful, what do you have to fear? You will have to answer for your sins. Every single penny looted from Punjab will be accounted for,” he had added.
ਭਗਵੰਤ ਮਾਨ ਜੀ, ਸੀ ਬੀ ਆਈ ਮਾਨਯੋਗ ਹਾਈਕੋਰਟ ਦੇ ਹੁਕਮਾਂ ਤੇ ਆਈ ਹੈ ਨਾ ਕਿ ਭਾਰਤ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨੇ ਭੇਜੀ ਹੈ। ਵਿਰਲਾਪ ਬੰਦ ਕਰੋ, ਜੇਕਰ ਸੱਚੇ ਹੋ ਤਾਂ ਡਰ ਕਿਸ ਗੱਲ ਦਾ ਹੈ, ਜਾਂਚ ਦੀ ਨਿਗਰਾਨੀ ਕੋਰਟ ਖੁਦ ਕਰ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ। ਪਾਪਾਂ ਦਾ ਹਿਸਾਬ ਤਾਂ ਦੇਣਾ ਪਵੇਗਾ। ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੀ ਕੀਤੀ ਲੁੱਟ ਦੀ ਪਾਈ ਪਾਈ ਦਾ ਹਿਸਾਬ ਹੋਵੇਗਾ। Bhagwant Mann ji, the CBI has not been sent by the Government of India, it has been ordered by the Hon’ble High Court to investigate this loot of Punjab under your watch. Stop lamenting. The court itself is monitoring the investigation. If you are truthful, what do you have to fear? You will have to answer for your sins. Every single penny looted from Punjab will be accounted for.
— Sunil Jakhar (@sunilkjakhar) October 6, 2026
Earlier, the Central agency filed a case against Mann’s OSD Rajbir Ghuman and five others following directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and a report from the Enforcement Directorate. The allegations involve corruption, bribery and manipulation of administrative decisions.
The High Court had directed the CBI to probe corruption allegations involving Ghuman after a petition filed by advocate Nikhil Saraf sought independent investigation into the allegations by the Enforcement Directorate. The agency has been asked to submit its findings within two months.
