New Delhi, May 12
A late-night raid by the Central Bureau of Investigation at the Punjab Vigilance office in Mohali led to the arrest of several alleged middlemen accused of collecting bribes on behalf of a senior vigilance official, officials said. The action was carried out as part of an investigation into an alleged bribery transaction of nearly Rs 20 lakh.
Officials said the CBI team reached the vigilance bureau office late on Monday night and conducted searches linked to the alleged bribery case. During the operation, several suspects allegedly connected to the transaction were taken into custody.
Sources claimed that the arrested middlemen had been provided police security by the Punjab government. Officials further alleged that the vigilance department officer believed to be linked to the case is currently absconding and not responding to phone calls.
The raid was conducted amid an ongoing probe into alleged corruption and bribery involving officials and intermediaries. However, authorities have not yet released further details regarding the identities of those arrested or the exact nature of the allegations under investigation.
Meanwhile, senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia criticized the Punjab government over the matter through a post on X. Referring to the alleged bribery case, he claimed corruption in Punjab was being exposed at multiple levels and cited reports suggesting that nearly Rs 13 lakh had been recovered during the operation.
Majithia also said Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had no moral right to continue as chief minister and home minister in view of the allegations.
The latest action by the CBI is expected to intensify the political confrontation in Punjab, with opposition parties likely to target the ruling government over allegations of corruption and administrative misconduct.
Reacting to the operation, a spokesperson for the Punjab Vigilance Bureau said the agency would fully cooperate with the CBI investigation. The spokesperson added that if any bureau official is found involved, legal action would follow according to the law.
