Punjab Shock: CBI Raids Vigilance HQ in Mohali Over ₹13 Lakh Bribery Scam Probe

Punjab’s anti-corruption machinery itself has landed under the scanner after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted a major raid at the Punjab Vigilance Bureau headquarters in Mohali. The action comes amid allegations of bribery involving officials linked to the Chief Vigilance Officer’s office. According to sources, the probe revolves around an alleged ₹20 lakh deal struck to shield a suspended police officer from investigation. The CBI has accused Reader OP Rana, attached to the Chief Vigilance Officer, of demanding bribes through an alleged middleman identified as Raghav Goyal. Investigators reportedly recovered ₹13 lakh connected to the transaction. While Raghav Goyal has already been arrested, OP Rana remains absconding. During searches at Goyal’s residence, the agency seized several documents and crucial audio recordings, which later formed the basis for expanded raids at the Vigilance Bureau headquarters. CBI teams also detained a Vigilance Bureau employee for questioning during the operation. The role of IPS officer Sharad Satya Chauhan, serving as Chief Vigilance Officer, is also under scrutiny as investigators examine whether senior-level involvement existed in the alleged corruption network. The case has triggered a fierce political storm in Punjab, where the ruling Aam Aadmi Party had come to power promising transparent governance and a crackdown on corruption. Opposition leaders, including Shiromani Akali Dal’s Bikram Majithia, have launched sharp attacks on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, alleging that corruption has spread across administrative levels in the state. The Aam Aadmi Party is yet to issue an official response on the controversy. The investigation is expected to intensify further as the CBI analyzes recovered evidence and hunts for the absconding accused.