Chandigarh: Rajbir Ghuman , officer on special duty (OSD) to Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann , appeared before CBI at its Chandigarh office on Friday in connection with the probe into the alleged ‘ cash for favours ’ case linked to CMO.




Ghuman was questioned by CBI for around six hours. He said that 40 questions were asked of him, and he has been summoned by the agency again on Monday. “I will be there,” he said.




Ghuman was accompanied by his lawyer, GPS Ghuman, who said that he and seven or eight others had received summons via WhatsApp on Thursday. According to the notice, Ghuman was directed to appear before CBI at 2.30 pm on Friday, said the lawyer.




Although there is a judgement against the validity of WhatsApp notices, they chose to comply in order to honour Supreme Court ’s directive to cooperate with the inquiry, the counsel said. Half a dozen individuals appeared before CBI on Thursday, and those summoned were complying and making themselves available as required, he added.




He arrived at the CBI office around 3 pm on Friday and remained there till 9 pm.




Speaking to mediapersons on coming out, Ghuman said, “I have appealed to the (CBI) officers to conduct a fair investigation. I have faith in the agency that they will not yield to any pressure. I can’t share details of what I was asked as it is a matter of investigation. I gave satisfactory replies to each of the 40 questions. I will come to the agency whenever they summon me. They have again called me on Monday at 2 pm and I will show up.”




“They told me that others (accused) should also come when summoned. I assured CBI that others will also join the investigations. I want to tell them (associates) that there’s nothing to worry as the environment was comfortable. We will put forth the proof available with us. We will soon come out with a clean chit,” he said.




Calling the CBI’s corruption case against him a “political propaganda,” Ghuman said the motive seems to be to defame chief minister Bhagwant Mann by targeting his OSD (him). The AAP govt is set to repeat in the coming Assembly elections with over 100 seats. “These are petty strategies to tarnish Mann Saab’s image as his popularity has only grown,” he said.




Ghuman was earlier alleged to have skipped two summonses from CBI on Oct 7 and 9. The first time, CMO said no summons was received, and in the second instance Ghuman issued a legal response to the notice but did not turn up in person.




On Oct 12, SC granted Ghuman interim protection from coercive action in the case and directed him to fully cooperate with the investigation. The very next day, ED, too, registered a case in Jalandhar, adding an alleged money-laundering angle to the probe.




The CBI investigation follows an Oct 5 order by Punjab and Haryana high court to register an FIR and probe allegations of corruption linked to a section of the CMO. HC observed in the order that details provided by Enforcement Directorate (ED) indicated the commission of a possible offence and directed CBI to submit a status report within two months. Punjab govt has challenged the HC order in Supreme Court.