CHANDIGARH: For the third time, Rajbir Singh Ghuman, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Chandigarh today for questioning in an alleged corruption case involving cash for transfers, favourable policies, tenders and other illegal activities. He was questioned for three hours.
Sources said Ghuman had initially been summoned for Thursday morning but had sought an adjournment. The investigating agency subsequently asked him to appear on Thursday afternoon, but he again failed to join the investigation, reportedly citing ill health. A fresh notice was then issued asking him to appear on Friday morning.
Ghuman reached the CBI office in Sector 30, Chandigarh, around 11 am and was questioned for nearly three hours. This was his third appearance before the CBI, following his questioning on October 16 and October 19.
The CBI is investigating allegations of corruption and influence-peddling involving government postings, tenders and administrative decisions. The allegations remain under investigation.
The CBI registered the case following an October 5 order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court directing a probe into allegations raised by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in three letters to the Punjab DGP.
Earlier, the central agency had issued him three notices asking him to appear before the investigating agency. Notices were also pasted on the gate of his house in his native village of Gharachon in Sangrur district.
A 251-page FIR was registered by the CBI on a complaint by the ED and refers to material shared by the ED with the Punjab Police chief.
On October 12, the Supreme Court declined to stay the FIR but directed that no coercive action be taken against the accused at that stage while issuing notice on the Punjab Government’s plea challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court order.
The apex court also directed the state to cooperate with the investigation.
The CBI registered the case under Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 7, 7A, 8 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, following an October 5 order of the High Court directing a probe into allegations of corruption and influence-peddling involving government functionaries.
The six named accused are Rajbir Singh Ghuman, Nitin Gohal, Jitin Gohal alias Raja, Romi Raja Mahajan, Bir Devinder and Rajdeep Singh Nagra, a rice sheller owner, besides unidentified public servants and private persons.
According to the FIR, the allegations concern the purported exchange of money for government postings, including those of IAS and IPS officers, departmental proceedings, policy formulation, administrative approvals, tender conditions, licensing, change of land use, property disputes and revenue-related matters.
The alleged activities are stated to relate to the 2023–2026 period.