Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has claimed that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) "returned empty-handed" after conducting searches at eight locations in connection with a corruption case involving his Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Rajbir Singh Ghuman and others.
Mann made the remarks while addressing the CBI searches and the ongoing legal battle between the Punjab government and the central agency. He claimed that the action showed that Assembly elections in Punjab could be approaching and alleged that the BJP uses central investigating agencies to target opposition leaders ahead of elections.
According to the CBI, searches were conducted at eight locations in Chandigarh, Mohali, Jalandhar and other places on Tuesday. The agency said it collected documents, laptops, mobile phones and other digital devices during the searches. The digital devices have been sent for forensic examination, according to the CBI.
The CBI action followed a Punjab and Haryana High Court order directing the agency to register a case and investigate allegations of corruption involving Ghuman and others.
Speaking about the searches, Mann said the timing of the action indicated that elections could be approaching in Punjab.
He alleged that the BJP's working style was to target senior opposition leaders a few months before elections. Mann referred to previous elections in states including Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Delhi and Haryana, claiming that similar actions had taken place there.
Mann said the latest raids had made it clear to him that elections were coming in Punjab.
He also alleged that the CBI and Enforcement Directorate could be used against the Punjab government and its leaders. Mann said the purpose was to defame him, his family and his government.
However, these claims are Mann's political allegations. The CBI has not said that the searches were conducted for political reasons.
The CBI has registered an FIR after the High Court's order and after receiving material from the Enforcement Directorate.
The case names six accused, including Ghuman, another public servant, middlemen and private persons. The agency is investigating allegations related to the influencing and manipulation of postings of government officers, including IAS and IPS officers.
The investigation also covers allegations concerning departmental proceedings, government policies, administrative approvals, tenders, licensing matters, land-use conversion, property disputes and revenue-related issues.
The CBI has also alleged that government officials may have provided private persons with drafts of government orders and policies before their official release.
These are allegations under investigation and have not been established as proven corruption by a court.
The CBI searches came on the same day that the Punjab government approached the Supreme Court against the Punjab and Haryana High Court's order directing the CBI to investigate the matter.
The state government has challenged the High Court's decision and has also raised questions about the CBI's jurisdiction in Punjab.
The legal dispute is now before the Supreme Court. During Tuesday's proceedings, the court did not immediately take up the matter for a detailed hearing, while the state's counsel sought an urgent hearing.
Mann said the matter was still before the Supreme Court and that allegations could continue to be made, but the final legal position would be decided through the court process.
Mann also rejected allegations of corruption against his government and said the Aam Aadmi Party had not entered politics to indulge in corruption.
He further targeted the BJP over its promises to make Punjab drug-free. Mann highlighted his government's work against drugs and claimed that people in Punjab continued to support the AAP government.
Mann also questioned the speed with which the CBI acted after the High Court order. He said that while the agency acted within 24 hours after receiving the court's direction, several old CBI cases were still pending for years.
The allegations against Ghuman and the other accused remain under investigation, and no finding of guilt has been made by a court.
