Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s officer on special duty, Rajbir Singh Ghuman, underwent his second round of questioning by the Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday in a corruption probe involving alleged influence-peddling, tender manipulation, real estate irregularities and a cash-for-posting network.
Ghuman was questioned for about four-and-a-half hours at the CBI office and told reporters afterwards that the agency had asked around 40 to 50 questions. He said several questions revisited issues raised during his earlier appearance and claimed he had provided satisfactory replies.
The questioning follows a six-hour session last Friday. Ghuman disputed the significance of WhatsApp chats that the Enforcement Directorate allegedly recovered from the phone of businessman Nitin Gohal. According to the ED, the phone contained 21 chats concerning the transfers and postings of officials between September 2023 and March 2026.
Ghuman described the messages as routine communications concerning requests for transfers and postings and said they contained nothing incriminating. His comments represent his response to the material cited by the ED; the investigation into the alleged network remains ongoing.
He also questioned the circumstances surrounding the recovery of cash-filled bags reportedly thrown from Gohal’s ninth-floor apartment at Western Towers Society in Kharar in May. Ghuman said the incident had not been incorporated into the CBI investigation and referred to the timing recorded in the ED’s panchnama.
According to Ghuman’s account, the raid began at 7am and Gohal’s family members were taken into custody by 7.10am, while the bags were allegedly thrown at about 8.30am. He questioned how the family could have thrown them after being detained, while also saying that the circumstances required examination. The claims have not been established by a final finding in the supplied report.
Ghuman had earlier been alleged to have missed two CBI summons issued on October 7 and 9. The chief minister’s office said no summons had been received on the first occasion, while Ghuman responded legally to the second notice but did not appear in person.
On October 12, the Supreme Court granted Ghuman interim protection from coercive action and directed him to cooperate fully with the investigation. The next day, the ED registered a case in Jalandhar, bringing an alleged money-laundering angle into the matter.
The CBI investigation originated from a case registered under the directions of the Punjab and Haryana high court. Its scope includes allegations relating to influence-peddling, manipulation of tenders, real estate irregularities and the alleged exchange of money for postings and transfers. These allegations remain subject to investigation and judicial scrutiny.
The case has implications beyond the individual questioning because the allegations concern how public appointments, government contracting and property-linked interests may intersect within the state administration. No finding of corruption has been established against Ghuman in the supplied report. He has denied wrongdoing and alleged that the case was being used to intimidate individuals and politically damage the government.
Ghuman said he had been summoned again for October 22 and would appear before the CBI and cooperate with the investigation. The agency is required to submit its comprehensive investigation report to the court by December 4.
