CBI books 6, raids 8 locations in Punjab CM Mann's OSD graft case
Synopsis
A High Court-ordered CBI FIR against Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann's OSD is more than a routine corruption probe — it alleges the leaking of government drafts before official issuance and manipulation of IAS and IPS postings. With AAP crying political vendetta and the ED having flagged concerns months earlier, the case exposes a credibility gap at the heart of the Punjab CMO.
Key Takeaways
The CBI registered an FIR and raided 8 locations in Chandigarh , Mohali , Jalandhar and other cities on 6 October 2026 .
Six persons booked, including Rajbir Singh Ghuman , OSD to Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann , and associates Nitin Gohal , Jitin Gohal alias Raja , Romi Raja Mahajan , Bir Devinder , and R.S.
Allegations include manipulation of IAS/IPS postings , tender conditions, land-use conversions, and leaking policy drafts before official issuance.
The CBI acted on orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court , which was approached via a PIL after Punjab Police declined to act on three ED letters .
CM Mann and AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal called the CBI action politically motivated.
CBI must submit a status report to the High Court within two months ; seized digital devices are under forensic examination.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, formally took over the investigation into alleged corruption linked to Rajbir Singh Ghuman, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, registering an FIR against six persons and conducting searches at eight locations across Chandigarh, Mohali, Jalandhar and other cities. The agency said it acted on the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and a report from the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
What the Searches Yielded
During the raids, CBI teams seized laptops, mobile phones, and documents described as incriminating evidence, according to an official statement. The digital devices have been sent to a forensic laboratory for extraction of data linked to the alleged bribery and impropriety.
Who Has Been Booked
The CBI's FIR names six individuals, including two public servants. The accused are: Rajbir Singh Ghuman (OSD to the Punjab Chief Minister); Nitin Gohal; Jitin Gohal alias Raja; Romi Raja Mahajan; Bir Devinder; and R.S. Nagra. The FIR also covers unknown public servants and private persons.
According to the CBI, the probe will examine allegations that the accused influenced and manipulated postings of IAS and IPS officers, departmental proceedings, and matters related to policy formulation. The investigation reportedly extends to manipulation of administrative approvals, tender conditions, licensing matters, land-use conversions, property disputes, and revenue and land-related issues, allegedly in exchange for pecuniary benefits.
Notably, it is also alleged that the accused public servants accessed and leaked drafts of orders and policies to private persons before their official issuance by the government — a charge that, if proved, would constitute a serious breach of administrative integrity.
The Court and ED Trail
The CBI's action came a day after the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the agency to register a case and submit a status report within two months. The court acted on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Nikhil Saraf, who argued that the ED's letters contained serious allegations involving persons linked to the Punjab Chief Minister's Office (CMO) and sought an independent probe free from the influence of the Punjab Police and Punjab Vigilance Bureau.
Prior to the PIL, the ED had written three letters to Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, alleging that Ghuman and associates Nitin Gohal and Bir Devinder were interfering in administrative transfers, postings, and government tenders. The Punjab Police did not register a case on the basis of those communications, prompting Saraf to approach the High Court.
AAP Calls It Political Vendetta
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday alleged that the CBI action was politically motivated. This comes amid a broader pattern of AAP governments in Punjab and Delhi facing central agency scrutiny — a narrative the party has consistently framed as targeted political interference, while the BJP and opposition counter that independent courts, not the executive, ordered the probe in this instance.
What Comes Next
The CBI is required to submit a status report to the Punjab and Haryana High Court within two months. Forensic analysis of the seized digital devices is expected to be the centrepiece of the early investigation. The case is likely to intensify political pressure on the AAP-led Punjab government ahead of any future electoral cycle, and will test whether the High Court's oversight mechanism translates into a credible accountability process.
Point of View
State police ignores it, a PIL forces the High Court's hand — is a significant accountability failure regardless of where one stands on the political motivation question. AAP's 'vendetta' framing may resonate with its base, but it sits uneasily with the fact that the order came from a court, not the Centre. The deeper question is whether the alleged leaking of policy drafts to private persons was systemic or isolated — the forensic examination of seized devices will likely determine the trajectory of this case.
NationPress
6 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the CBI booked Punjab CM Mann's OSD Rajbir Singh Ghuman?
The CBI has booked Rajbir Singh Ghuman, OSD to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, on allegations of corruption including manipulating IAS and IPS postings, interfering in government tenders, and allegedly leaking policy drafts to private persons before their official issuance. The FIR was registered following a Punjab and Haryana High Court order and a report from the Enforcement Directorate.
Who ordered the CBI to investigate the Punjab CMO corruption case?
The Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the CBI to register a case and submit a status report within two months. The court acted on a PIL filed by advocate Nikhil Saraf after Punjab Police failed to register a case despite three letters from the ED flagging corruption allegations against Ghuman and his associates.
What did the CBI find during the raids?
The CBI recovered laptops, mobile phones, and documents described as incriminating evidence from eight locations across Chandigarh, Mohali, Jalandhar and other cities. The seized digital devices have been sent to a forensic laboratory for data extraction linked to the alleged bribery and impropriety.
What is Bhagwant Mann's response to the CBI raids?
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal have both alleged that the CBI action is politically motivated. Neither provided specific rebuttals to the individual allegations in the FIR.
What happens next in the Punjab CMO graft investigation?
The CBI is required to submit a status report to the Punjab and Haryana High Court within two months of registering the case. Forensic analysis of seized digital devices is expected to be central to the early investigation, with the probe covering postings manipulation, tender irregularities, and land-related matters.
