The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday (October 5, 2026) ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into corruption allegations against individuals linked to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government, triggering an uproar in the State’s political circles as Opposition parties cornered the AAP on its much touted ‘zero-tolerance’ anti-corruption stance.
Pronouncing its order on a public interest litigation case, the Bench of Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor said that, on a cumulative assessment of the material placed on record in the petition, the court was of the view that a fair and transparent investigation was required into the issue.
Expressing its dissatisfaction with the manner in which the Punjab Police had handled the matter so far, the court said in its order: “We are also not impressed by the manner in which Punjab Police has acted so far in the matter, and therefore we deem it appropriate to entrust investigation of the present case to the Central Bureau of Investigation, which will register an FIR (First Information Report) in the matter and proceed with the investigation forthwith.”
A report with regard to outcome of the investigation shall be submitted to the court within two months, the Bench directed. “The State of Punjab as well as Punjab Police will render all assistance to the CBI in carrying out fair investigation in the matter,” it added.
The petition relates to allegations surrounding the involvement of senior officers of Punjab in various scams, including cash for transfers, cash in return for favourable policies, cash for tenders, and such other serious irregularities, with regard to which no investigation had been held, despite the sharing of information with the Punjab Police by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The petitioner, advocate Nikhil Saraf, said that while communications had been sent by the Enforcement Directorate under Section 66 (2) of the Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002 to Punjab, despite such facts as well as other facts of corruption in high public office, having been highlighted by the petitioner also, no action was being taken in the matter.
Opposition parties, meanwhile, hit out the AAP government. The Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Congress’s Partap Singh Bajwa, demanded the immediate resignation of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, saying the High Court’s decision had raised serious questions on the functioning of the State government, and the Chief Minister’s own responsibility.
“The Punjab government proudly advertises Bhagwant Mann as an imandaar (honest) Chief Minister. But if the government is truly so honest, why did the High Court find it necessary to bring in an independent agency to investigate the matter?” said Mr. Bajwa .
Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majitjia said the court’s order “has exposed the mask of Bhagwant Mann’s honesty”.
In New Delhi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sambit Patra asked AAP supremo and national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Mr. Mann to clarify on the allegations, and the scale of the purported financial irregularities.
