Chandigarh, Oct 7 (IANS): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Rajbir Singh Ghuman, was summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) Chandigarh office on Wednesday in connection with the probe into alleged corruption linked to the Chief Minister’s Office.
The CM’s OSD and other associates have been asked to appear before the CBI at its Sector 30 office at 2.30 pm.
The development comes a day after the CBI registered an FIR against Ghuman and five others and carried out coordinated searches at eight locations across Chandigarh and Punjab.
The searches included the Chief Minister’s camp office in Sector 2 in Chandigarh and premises linked to Ghuman in Sangrur and Mohali.
The case follows an order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court directing the CBI to register a case and investigate allegations flagged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The allegations relate to purported irregularities in government transfers and postings, including those involving IAS and IPS officers, as well as government policies, tenders, licences and land-related matters.
The CBI has named Ghuman along with Nitin Gohal, Jitin Gohal, alias Raja, Romi Raja Mahajan, Bir Devinder and R.S. Nagra in the case.
The investigating agency has also referred to unidentified public servants and private individuals, according to the FIR.
During Tuesday’s searches, the CBI reportedly seized laptops, mobile phones and documents, which are being examined as part of the investigation.
The Punjab government has challenged the High Court’s direction before the Supreme Court. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has rejected the allegations and accused the BJP-led Centre of using Central investigative agencies for political purposes.
“Pursuant to the orders of the Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court and receipt of report from ED, the CBI has registered an FIR to investigate the allegations of corruption against OSD to Punjab Chief Minister and his associates,” a spokesperson for the CBI said Tuesday.
