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CBI raids Punjab VB office, arrests ‘middleman’ in ₹25-lakh bribery case
The CBI agency raided a five-star hotel in Chandigarh when inspector OP Rana, reader to vigilance chief director SS Chauhan, along with “middleman” Raghav Goel, were striking a deal with a complainant
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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday night conducted a search at the Punjab vigilance bureau office in Mohali after arresting an alleged middleman who was “facilitating a ₹25-lakh deal along with the VB chief’s reader to settle a case”, said people familiar with the matter.
The federal probe agency first raided a five-star hotel in Chandigarh when inspector OP Rana, reader to vigilance chief director SS Chauhan, along with “middleman” Raghav Goel, were striking a deal with a complainant, they added.
The deal was for ₹25 lakh but the person came with ₹13 lakh that have been recovered, said an official, who did not want to be named. While Goel, a resident of Muktsar’s Malout, who is believed to be close to the VB director, was arrested, Rana managed to escape, they added. CBI officials said an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against Rana and Goel. Chauhan was not available for comments as his mobile phone was switched off. It is believed to be the first raid on the Punjab VB office by any central probe agency.
The CBI raids come two days after the Enforcement Directorate arrested Punjab industries minister Sanjeev Arora in connection with an alleged GST fraud-linked money laundering case involving certain entities linked to him. In October last year, the CBI had arrested Ropar Range DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar in a bribery case involving ₹8 lakh.
Subsequent raids on his premises resulted in recovery of over ₹7 crore in cash, along with gold and luxury items. According to an official, the CBI was recording conversations of the individuals from the past two days. “After some key names figured, the CBI took clearance from Delhi and raided the hotel and the VB office. The complainant, believed to be an inspector, also hails from Malout,” he said.
The CBI team has sealed Rana’s office. “A formal search will be conducted after a warrant,” said an official, adding that raids are being conducted at Goel’s house in Malout.
Following raids, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia attacked the AAP government. “The corruption in Punjab is now being exposed layer by layer from top to bottom. Bhagwant Mann has no moral right to continue as CM,” he said in a post on X.
