Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], October 7 (ANI): Punjab Assembly Leader of Opposition (LoP) Partap Singh Bajwa on Wednesday targeted Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal over the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raids at Mann's camp office in Chandigarh, saying they should face the investigation into allegations of corruption linked to the Chief Minister's Office.
“Regarding the CBI raids in Chandigarh yesterday, I hold Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann directly responsible. The ED wrote four letters to the Director General. If they had registered an FIR against these individuals themselves—or even arrested a few of them—they could have saved themselves. But they didn't do that,” Bajwa said.
His remarks came a day after the CBI registered an FIR against Mann's Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Rajbir Singh Ghuman and five others and conducted searches at eight locations, including the Punjab Chief Minister's camp office in Chandigarh.
The agency said the case relates to allegations of corruption involving the influencing or manipulation of postings, departmental proceedings, policy formulation, administrative approvals, tender conditions, licensing and land-related matters in return for alleged pecuniary benefits.
The CBI action followed a Punjab and Haryana High Court order directing the agency to register a case and investigate the allegations. The High Court order came on a PIL filed by advocate Nikhil Saraf after allegations flagged by the Enforcement Directorate were not acted upon by the Punjab Police.
Bajwa said the High Court intervened after the state authorities failed to register an FIR.
“Consequently, a petition was filed by a lawyer in the High Court, and the Court ruled on the matter. There are very serious charges of corruption—scams involving crores and billions of rupees related to land, Gram Panchayats, transfers, and the awarding of contracts,” he said.
He further alleged that there were accusations concerning the Chief Minister's Office and Mann's immediate family, while asserting that the investigation should establish whether the allegations have any basis.
“You might try to create a smokescreen—claiming ‘we are honest while everyone else is corrupt’—but the question remains: if Bhagwant Mann has done nothing wrong, what is the problem in facing the investigation?” Bajwa said.
The CBI has named Ghuman, alleged intermediary Nitin Gohal, Jitin Gohal alias Raja, Romi Raja Mahajan, Bir Devinder and R.S. Nagra in the FIR, along with unknown public servants and private persons. The agency said laptops, mobile phones and documents were seized during the searches and are being scrutinised for evidence of alleged bribery and impropriety.
Bajwa said the CBI had not initiated the investigation independently but was acting pursuant to the High Court's directions.
“An FIR has been registered, and the CBI has intervened—not on its own initiative, but under the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Chief Justice,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government challenged the High Court's order in the Supreme Court by filing a Special Leave Petition on October 6. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the state's challenge.
Bajwa said the investigation would ultimately establish whether the allegations were supported by evidence.
“If nothing is amiss—if the raids yield no evidence of wrongdoing—then you will be vindicated. However, if evidence is produced, then Bhagwant Mann should be prepared to face the consequences,” he said.
The CBI investigation remains underway, and the allegations against the accused have not been established as proven wrongdoing. (ANI)
"If Bhagwant Mann has done nothing wrong, what is the problem in facing investigation?": Partap Bajwa
