CBI raids Punjab Vigilance Bureau in Mohali, arrests middleman in ₹25-lakh bribery case
Synopsis
The CBI has raided the Punjab Vigilance Bureau's Mohali office, sealed its premises, and arrested a middleman after catching him allegedly negotiating a ₹25 lakh bribe at a Chandigarh five-star hotel. The operation is being linked to the earlier CBI arrest of suspended DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar in October 2025, suggesting a widening corruption probe into Punjab's top law-enforcement apparatus.
Key Takeaways
The CBI raided the Punjab Vigilance Bureau office in Mohali on 12 May 2025 and sealed the premises.
Alleged middleman Raghav Goel of Malout, Muktsar was arrested; Inspector O.P.
Rana , reader to Vigilance Director S.S.
Chauhan , reportedly fled. ₹13 lakh in cash was seized from a five-star hotel in Chandigarh where a deal was allegedly being struck.
The total bribery demand is reported at ₹25 lakh .
The raid is linked to the earlier CBI arrest of suspended DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar in October 2025 in a separate bribery case involving ₹7.5 crore .
Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia called for Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's resignation, alleging systemic corruption under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided the Punjab Vigilance Bureau office in Mohali on Monday, 12 May, detaining the reader of Vigilance Director S.S. Chauhan and arresting a self-styled middleman in connection with a ₹25 lakh bribery case. The Vigilance Bureau office has been sealed as the operation continues.
How the Operation Unfolded
According to reports, the CBI first moved on a five-star hotel in Chandigarh, where Inspector O.P. Rana — reader to the Vigilance chief — and alleged middleman Raghav Goel, a resident of Malout in Muktsar district, were reportedly striking a deal with a complainant. The agency seized ₹13 lakh in cash at the hotel. Goel was arrested on the spot, while Rana reportedly managed to escape before CBI personnel could detain him.
Following the hotel operation, the CBI team moved to the Punjab Vigilance Bureau office in Mohali, sealing the premises as the raid extended into late Monday evening. The whereabouts of Vigilance Director S.S. Chauhan remained unclear at the time of reporting, with his phone reportedly switched off.
Political Reaction: Akali Dal Targets AAP Government
Shiromani Akali Dal leader and former Cabinet Minister Bikram Singh Majithia was quick to react, posting a series of statements on X (formerly Twitter). In one post, he claimed the central agency had
Point of View
Following the October 2025 arrest of DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar. That the alleged bribery deal was being negotiated at a Chandigarh five-star hotel, involving the direct reader of the Vigilance chief himself, points to brazenness that goes beyond individual misconduct. The AAP government came to power in Punjab on an anti-corruption platform, making these developments politically damaging beyond the usual opposition noise. The real question is whether the CBI's probe will reach the command level or remain confined to intermediaries — a pattern that has historically allowed institutional rot to persist.
NationPress
12 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the CBI raid on the Punjab Vigilance Bureau in Mohali?
The CBI raided the Punjab Vigilance Bureau office in Mohali on 12 May 2025, sealing its premises and arresting alleged middleman Raghav Goel. The agency had first intercepted Goel and Inspector O.P. Rana at a Chandigarh hotel, where they were allegedly negotiating a ₹25 lakh bribe, and seized ₹13 lakh in cash.
Who was arrested in the Punjab Vigilance Bureau bribery case?
Raghav Goel, a resident of Malout in Muktsar district, was arrested as the alleged middleman. Inspector O.P. Rana, the reader to Vigilance Director S.S. Chauhan, reportedly escaped before he could be detained, according to reports.
How much bribe money was seized by the CBI?
The CBI seized ₹13 lakh in cash from a five-star hotel in Chandigarh. The total bribery demand in the case is reported to be ₹25 lakh.
Is this raid connected to earlier CBI action in Punjab?
Yes, according to reports, the current raid is a follow-up to the CBI's arrest of suspended Punjab Police Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Harcharan Singh Bhullar, a 2009-batch IPS officer, in October 2025 in a separate bribery scandal involving ₹7.5 crore.
What has the political opposition said about the Punjab Vigilance Bureau raid?
Shiromani Akali Dal leader and former Cabinet Minister Bikram Singh Majithia posted on X calling for Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's resignation, alleging that the Punjab Vigilance office had become a 'harassment den' under the AAP government and that corruption was being exposed layer by layer.
