In a late-night operation, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided the Punjab Vigilance Bureau office in Mohali, arresting several “middlemen” accused of collecting bribes on behalf of a senior officer, officials said.
The raid, conducted on Monday night (May 11), was part of an ongoing probe into a bribery allegation involving a transaction of approximately Rs. 20 lakh. The arrested intermediaries were reportedly under police protection provided by the Punjab government.
The CBI has also booked Sharad Satya Chauhan’s personal reader on graft charges for allegedly facilitating the bribe to settle a pending case. The reader, who has worked with Chauhan for the past five to six years, has not yet been arrested.
Chauhan, appointed last month as Director of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau after nearly a decade away from key postings, is the senior-most officer on the panel sent to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in April to shortlist candidates for the DGP post.
Addressing the controversy for the first time, Chauhan reportedly said, “I am not responsible for any shady activity of my reader. My name has been unnecessarily dragged into this case. I was in office till 6 pm and am going to attend office today also. I am available.”
The CBI has confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and further developments are expected in the coming days.
