The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducts searches at multiple locations linked to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s office, including his camp office in Chandigarh and sites associated with his Officer on Special Duty (OSD). The CBI registers a corruption case in connection with allegations raised around the functioning of the Chief Minister’s Office.
The action follows a directive by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which asks the CBI to register a criminal case and submit a status report within two months. The allegations are connected to claims made by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which names Mann’s OSD and points to a so-called “cash-for-transfer” or influence-related scheme involving government postings and transfers, as well as access to confidential documents and tenders.
Political reactions diverge. Mann accuses the Centre of misusing central investigative agencies, and the Punjab government moves the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order. The BJP and allies respond that the CBI action is based on the court’s direction rather than any central instruction, while other parties also allege political targeting through the CBI and ED.
