High Court Orders CBI Probe Into Punjab CM's Office

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe corruption allegations involving Rajbir Singh Ghuman, the Officer on Special Duty to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The order follows a 200-page petition filed by advocate Nikhil Saraf, which alleges that illegal payments were demanded in exchange for government appointments, transfers, arms licenses, mining activities, and development projects managed by the Greater Mohali and Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authorities.

Following the ruling, BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu criticized the Aam Aadmi Party government, claiming the allegations betray the party's promise of radical honesty. Bittu further alleged that the Punjab government failed to respond to four letters from the Enforcement Directorate sent to the Director General of Police regarding these matters.

This judicial development coincides with broader political pressure from the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has also criticized the state government over a deterioration in law and order, citing four recent murders. These combined issues of corruption and crime increase the political challenges facing the Aam Aadmi Party as state elections approach.