Archive · 9 Oct 2026
AAP Protests CBI Searches, Accuses Centre of Pressuring Punjab Government
The Aam Aadmi Party held protests in four Punjab cities on Wednesday.
The protests followed CBI searches at eight places in Punjab and Chandigarh.
The searches were part of a corruption case involving an aide to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and others.
AAP leaders said the searches were politically motivated and meant to pressure their government.
Health Minister Balbir Singh said nothing was found during the searches.
AAP leaders also connected the action to upcoming elections.
The CBI investigation followed a direction from the Punjab and Haryana High Court to register a case and look into the allegations.
AAP held protests Wednesday in Patiala, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Barnala over CBI searches in a corruption case.
The searches covered eight locations in Punjab and Chandigarh and involved allegations linked to Mann’s Officer on Special Duty, Rajbir Singh Ghuman, and others.
AAP leaders called the agency action politically motivated and accused the BJP-led Centre of targeting Opposition-run governments.
Health Minister Balbir Singh said the searches aimed to defame the Mann government and claimed investigators found nothing.
The CBI action followed a Punjab and Haryana High Court direction to register a case and investigate the corruption allegations.
- Who
- The Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab, including party leaders and Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh.
- What
- AAP protested CBI searches and accused the BJP-led Centre of using central agencies to pressure Opposition governments.
- When
- Wednesday; the article does not specify a date.
- Where
- Patiala, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Barnala; the searches took place at eight locations in Punjab and Chandigarh.
- Why
- AAP said the searches were politically motivated and intended to pressure or discredit the Mann government; the investigation followed a court direction concerning corruption allegations.
AAP’s allegations
Investigation’s stated context
Purpose of the searches
AAP’s allegations
AAP leaders described the searches as politically motivated and said central agencies were being used to pressure or discredit the Mann government.
Investigation’s stated context
The article says the CBI action followed a Punjab and Haryana High Court direction to register a case and investigate corruption allegations; it does not report a response from the Centre or the CBI to AAP’s accusations.
What the searches found
AAP’s allegations
Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh claimed that nothing was found during the operation.
Investigation’s stated context
The article does not independently establish the outcome of the searches or provide a statement from the CBI on what was found.
- Protest locations
- Patiala, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Barnala
- Search locations
- Eight locations in Punjab and Chandigarh
- Investigating agency
- Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
- Case connection
- Allegations involving Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s Officer on Special Duty, Rajbir Singh Ghuman, and others
- Court direction
- The Punjab and Haryana High Court directed that a case be registered and the allegations investigated.
- AAP’s allegation
- Party leaders said central agencies were being used to pressure Opposition-run governments.
- Balbir Singh’s claim
- He said the searches aimed to defame the Mann government and claimed nothing was found.