The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR into alleged influence over government decisions in Punjab has flagged 21 instances of suspected interference in transfers and postings across 20 state government departments between September 2023 and March 2026, according to the material submitted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and incorporated into the FIR.
According to the ED, private intermediaries were used to influence official appointments and secure favourable administrative decisions. The alleged network also extended to policy and administrative decisions (11 instances), arms licences (7), land-related matters (6) and leakage of confidential material (4), allegedly in exchange for monetary benefits.
Together with the 21 transfer-posting instances, these categories account for 60 instances of influence in government functioning.
The department-wise compilation records seven references each concerning the police and arms licensing under the home affairs department, five each involving revenue, and food, civil supplies and consumer affairs departments, and four concerning the local government.
Animal husbandry and dairy, cooperation, housing and urban development, and industries and commerce departments account for three references each.
Personnel, social security, women and child development, and power feature twice each. Jails, rural development and panchayats, forests, school education, transport, health and family welfare, science, technology and environment, mines and geology, and horticulture have one reference each. The material also mentions the Chief Minister’s office.
The CBI registered the FIR on October 5, naming Rajbir Singh Ghuman, officer on special duty (OSD) to chief minister Bhagwant Mann; Nitin Gohal, an alleged intermediary; Jitin Gohal, alias Raja; Dr Romi Raja Mahajan; Bir Devinder; and Rajdeep Singh Nagra, also known as RS Nagra. The FIR also refers to unidentified public servants and private individuals.
{{/usCountry}}The CBI registered the FIR on October 5, naming Rajbir Singh Ghuman, officer on special duty (OSD) to chief minister Bhagwant Mann; Nitin Gohal, an alleged intermediary; Jitin Gohal, alias Raja; Dr Romi Raja Mahajan; Bir Devinder; and Rajdeep Singh Nagra, also known as RS Nagra. The FIR also refers to unidentified public servants and private individuals.
{{/usCountry}}The ED has also alleged that the network had access to confidential policy proposals, draft government orders, departmental communications and information about postings before such decisions entered the public domain. The material further refers to alleged interference in tender conditions, departmental rule amendments, licensing decisions, land-use conversions and government approvals.