CBI raids Punjab CM Mann's aide over alleged corruption, 8 locations searched
The CBI has conducted raids at multiple locations in Punjab and Chandigarh in connection with alleged corruption charges against Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's aide and Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Rajbir Ghuman.
The raids were conducted after the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered a CBI probe into allegations of a corruption nexus involving Ghuman, private persons and the Punjab Chief Minister's Office. The allegations were flagged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which had written three letters to the Punjab DGP seeking action in the matter.
The CBI conducted coordinated searches at eight locations across Chandigarh, Mohali, Gurdaspur, Ludhiana, Patiala, Sangrur and Jalandhar at premises connected with the accused persons. Laptops, mobile phones and documents were seized, according to the CBI.
Pursuant to the High Court's order and a report received from the ED, the CBI registered an FIR naming six persons, including Ghuman, public servants, middlemen and associates.
The CBI is investigating allegations that the accused influenced and manipulated postings of IAS and IPS officers, departmental proceedings, policy formulation, administrative approvals, tender conditions, licensing matters, Change of Land Use (CLU) matters, property disputes and revenue and land-related issues in lieu of pecuniary benefits.
The agency also alleged that accused public servants accessed and provided drafts of government orders and policies to private persons before their issuance.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered the CBI probe after a PIL was filed by advocate Nikhil Saraf, following allegations that the Punjab Police had not acted on the matter. The CBI has been asked to submit its report within two months.
The ED had earlier alleged widespread corruption in transfers and postings, CLU matters and other dealings in Punjab, and had also named Ghuman in its letters to the DGP.
The CBI said the seized material is being scrutinised for evidence of bribery and impropriety.- Ends
Kamaljit Sandhu is an award winning journalist working as Deputy Editor in India Today. She has nearly two decades of experience as a full time TV journalist. She covers "conflict" regions, Internal security matters, MEA and Parliament. Her work has often led to crisscrossing the country. She has also traveled to Pakistan and Iran, in pursuit of news stories. In 2019, she received the ENBA Award for best news programming for her ground report on "surviving Bastar" which was based on the government's policy on inducting tribals in Crpf in chattisgarh to counter naxals.
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Munish Pandey is Editor and National Bureau Head with India Today Group. With over a decade's experience in crime and investigative journalism, Munish is known for his factual and investigative reports on white collar crimes, crimes involving politicians and corporate houses, violence, riots, international crimes and conspired killings. He started his career in Mumbai and has covered the underworld, killings, kidnapping, corruption cases, and terrorism. Munish keenly follows the Central Bureau of Investigation, Ministry of Home Affairs, Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax Department, Narcotics Control Bureau, Intelligence Bureau, R&AW, Delhi Police and Mumbai Police. From covering and reporting on the 2013 Mumbai triple blasts, Pune Bomb Blasts, Hyderabad bomb blast, he has covered and reported extensively on 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, Malegaon case and Mumbai train attacks. Munish Pandey is among the few journalists who first reported on the growing network of terror outfit ISIS in India and their recruitments in the country. He is the only journalist to have interviewed narcotrafficker Vicky Goswami, who is currently serving time in a US jail, and Mamta Kulkarni while the two were in Kenya. He has also reported, extensively covered and broken exclusive stories on the PNB scam, the CBI vs CBI case, Nirav Modi-Mehul Choksi case, P Chidambaram's arrest and many others.
Munish is a silver medalist in Journalism from the University of Mumbai. He has also undertaken a Defence Correspondent Course of the Ministry of Defence where he spent a month with the Armed Forces at the Indo-China border in the northeast and the naval base at Vizag.
