Rajbir Singh Ghuman, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, did not appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday, with officials in the Chief Minister’s Office maintaining that no summons had been received.
The development came a day after the central agency conducted searches at the Chief Minister’s camp office and several other locations in connection with allegations of corruption and influence-peddling involving senior officials.
According to CBI sources, Ghuman had been directed to appear at the agency’s Chandigarh office at 2:30 p.m. However, a senior official in the Chief Minister’s Office told The Tribune that Ghuman had not received any formal notice requiring his appearance.
The CBI registered a case against Ghuman and five others on Monday night following an October 5 directive from the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordering an investigation into allegations involving payments for government postings, policy decisions and the awarding of tenders.
The other individuals named in the First Information Report (FIR) are Nitin Gohal, Jitin Gohal, also known as Raja, Romi Raja Mahajan, Bir Devinder and R.S. Nagra.
The agency carried out coordinated search operations at eight locations, including the Chief Minister’s camp office and properties associated with the accused.
Searches were conducted at Ghuman’s residence in Gharachon village, a relative’s property in Mohali’s Phase 11 and locations across Sangrur, Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Gurdaspur.
The operations began around 5:30 p.m. and continued until approximately 11 p.m.
CBI officials confirmed that laptops, mobile phones and documents were seized during the searches. Investigators are examining the material for possible evidence connected to the corruption allegations.
Meanwhile, a second search operation was conducted at Nitin Gohal’s residence in Kharar on Wednesday evening. The property had been searched and subsequently sealed the previous day before investigators returned around 7 p.m.
No arrests have been announced in the case.
In a separate development, Ghuman approached a special CBI court in Chandigarh seeking contempt proceedings against members of the investigating team following the public disclosure of the 251-page FIR.
His lawyer, Ferry Sofat, argued that the CBI had previously requested permission to withhold the FIR from public online access because of the sensitive nature of the investigation.
The court had granted that request. However, the document subsequently became available to media organizations and members of the public.
Ghuman’s legal team alleged that the disclosure violated the court’s order and sought an investigation into how the document was released.
The application requested that the sequence of events leading to the disclosure be placed before the court and that contempt proceedings be initiated against those allegedly responsible.
After hearing the arguments, the court issued a notice to the CBI and directed the agency to submit its response by October 12.
The investigation has also triggered political protests across Punjab, with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accusing the BJP-led central government of using investigative agencies to target opposition-controlled states.
AAP workers staged demonstrations in Ludhiana, Barnala, Patiala and Amritsar, condemning what they described as the political misuse of the CBI and Enforcement Directorate.
AAP chief spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal alleged that the BJP was attempting to damage the reputation of the Mann government ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections.
Dhaliwal claimed that the central government was using investigative agencies to pressure opposition parties and maintained that the searches had failed to uncover evidence of wrongdoing.
He also drew comparisons with previous disputes involving central investigative agencies and opposition-led governments in West Bengal and Jharkhand.
The BJP has been accused by AAP of orchestrating a campaign against the Punjab government, although those allegations remain political claims.
The CBI investigation stems from the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s order directing the agency to examine allegations of corruption and improper influence over government decisions.
With forensic examination of seized electronic devices and documents continuing, investigators are expected to pursue further questioning as the case develops.
The allegations against Ghuman and the five other individuals remain under investigation and have not been established in court.
