8 October 2026 Punjab Khabarnama Bureau : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a 251-page FIR against Rajbir Singh Ghuman, Officer on Special Duty to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and five others in a case involving allegations of bribery, influence-peddling and manipulation of government decisions.
The FIR was registered after the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the central agency to investigate allegations that had earlier been flagged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The case concerns alleged activities between 2023 and 2026 and includes allegations relating to government policies, administrative approvals, transfers, postings, tenders, licensing and land-related matters.
According to the FIR, the other people named in the case include Nitin Gohal, Jitin Gohal alias Raja, Romi Raja Mahajan, Bir Devinder and Rajdeep Singh Nagra. The document also refers to unidentified public servants and private individuals.
The CBI case was registered on a complaint submitted by Akshay Kumar, Assistant Director at the ED’s Jalandhar Zonal Office. The agency has invoked provisions dealing with criminal conspiracy and offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The allegations in the FIR are based substantially on material provided by the ED to the Punjab Police. The ED had reportedly flagged 61 instances of alleged wrongdoing while investigating a separate money-laundering case involving Nitin Gohal.
The allegations include claims that the accused sought or facilitated financial benefits in matters involving policy formulation, amendments to departmental rules, administrative approvals, tender conditions, licensing and change-of-land-use matters.
The FIR also refers to alleged influence over government transfers and postings. Orders relating to transfers of Punjab government officials have been included in the case documents, with investigators examining whether official postings were allegedly influenced in exchange for monetary benefits.
Another aspect of the case concerns alleged access to sensitive government information. The material cited in the FIR reportedly includes communications relating to land records, revenue matters, government approvals and other administrative decisions.
The CBI dossier also contains WhatsApp conversations that were earlier highlighted by the ED. These communications reportedly involve several people named in the case and cover discussions related to government decisions, postings, payments and other matters.
The FIR further mentions communications concerning the recommendation of an Additional Superintendent Engineer for a key posting in the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited. Other chats reportedly relate to demands for documents connected with coal-mining tenders, coal transportation and thermal power plants.
Investigators are also examining allegations involving land and property matters. These reportedly include change-of-land-use cases, land disputes, demarcation proceedings, housing schemes and revenue-related issues.
The FIR contains references to several other documents and communications, including alleged fake internship letters and courses, cash payments for vehicle maintenance and alleged hawala transactions. Payments allegedly involving an IFS officer are also mentioned in the material.
Following registration of the case, the CBI conducted coordinated searches at eight locations across Punjab and Chandigarh. The searches included locations associated with the accused as well as the Punjab Chief Minister’s camp office in Chandigarh.
Officials reportedly seized electronic devices, including laptops and mobile phones, along with documents and other material during the searches. The seized material is expected to be examined as the investigation progresses.
The CBI’s action has triggered a political controversy in Punjab. The state government has challenged the High Court’s decision directing the CBI probe before the Supreme Court. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and other AAP leaders have questioned the central agency’s action and alleged political motives behind the investigation.
The allegations, however, remain part of an ongoing investigation. Registration of an FIR does not establish the guilt of the accused, and the claims will have to be tested through the investigation and subsequent legal proceedings.
The CBI is now examining the documents, electronic communications and other evidence gathered during the searches. Investigators will also seek to establish whether alleged payments were actually made and whether they were connected to specific government decisions or official actions.
The 251-page FIR provides extensive details of the allegations and the material that led to the CBI investigation. Its focus ranges from transfers and postings to policy decisions, tenders, licensing, land matters and access to government information.
The case is expected to remain a major political and administrative issue in Punjab as the investigation continues and the Supreme Court considers the state government’s challenge to the CBI probe.