CBI raids at CM Mann's camp office: What all central agency has seized and who have been named ?
PTC News Desk: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted raids at eight locations across Punjab and Chandigarh on Tuesday including the camp office of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, in connection with the alleged “cash for postings and favourable tenders” scam.
CBI teams conducted searches at eight locations across Chandigarh, Mohali, Gurdaspur, Ludhiana, Patiala, Sangrur and Jalandhar. During the searches, the teams seized laptops, mobile phones and documents. The raids continued until 11 pm.
The case names six persons: Rajbir Ghuman, Nitin Gohal, Jitin Gohal alias Raja, Romi Raja Mahajan, Bir Devinder and RS Nagra. The CBI described them as public servants, middlemen and associates and said two of the accused are public servants. The FIR also includes unknown public servants and private persons.
The action was taken following an order by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had levelled allegations of corruption and irregularities in transfers and postings linked to the Chief Minister’s Office. The ED had named the CM’s OSD, Rajbir Singh Ghuman, as a key accused, but the Punjab Police had not registered an FIR against him.
The matter reached the High Court, which on October 5 directed that an FIR be registered against the OSD and ordered a CBI investigation. The CBI subsequently registered a case against six named accused, including Rajbir Ghuman, along with several unidentified persons.
Timeline of corruption flagged by ED and subsequent CBI probe
ED sent three letters to the DGP: In July-August 2026, the ED sent three letters to Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav seeking registration of an FIR over alleged corruption linked to the CM’s Office. The allegations involved interference in transfers and postings, policy decisions, tenders, change of land use (CLU) and other government approvals.
CM’s OSD named: According to the ED, the roles of Nitin Gohal, Rajbir Singh Ghuman and others came under scrutiny. The agency alleged that Gohal acted as a middleman between people seeking government-related work and CM’s OSD Ghuman.
Chats cited as evidence: The ED claimed to have found WhatsApp chats and other digital evidence. The conversations allegedly related to transfers and postings, policy decisions, tenders and access to government documents.
Cash and digital material found during searches: During the ED investigation, searches at premises linked to Nitin Gohal and others reportedly led to the recovery of documents and digital material. The ED also claimed that Rs 20.98 lakh in cash was recovered from Gohal.
Land and real estate angle: The case emerged from a money-laundering investigation into alleged irregularities involving GMADA land, change of land use (CLU), property transactions and real estate. The ED alleged that influence was used in matters involving government approvals and land-related cases.
High Court handed the probe to CBI: On October 5, the Punjab and Haryana High Court said the details provided by the ED indicated the commission of an offence. The court directed the CBI to register an FIR, investigate the matter and submit a status report within two months.
Punjab government approached Supreme Court: A day after the High Court ordered a CBI probe, on October 6, the Punjab government filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court challenging the order. The Supreme Court indicated that it could hear the matter today or the day after.
- PTC NEWS
