Rajbir Singh Ghuman, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, failed to appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday despite being summoned for questioning in an ongoing corruption probe.

The federal agency had directed Ghuman to report to its Sector 30 office in Chandigarh at 2:30 p.m. local time regarding a corruption case registered in New Delhi on Oct. 5. Officials waited after the designated time, but Ghuman did not show up.

Ghuman avoided the questioning while the Punjab government prepares a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court to challenge the CBI investigation, with a hearing expected in the coming days.

The CBI probe stems from orders issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court following letters sent by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to the Punjab Police. The FIR names Ghuman along with several individuals, including Nitin Gohal, Jatin Gohal, Dr. Romi Raja Mahajan, Bir Devinder, R.S. Nagra, and unidentified associates, over alleged suspicious activities between 2023 and 2026. 

On Tuesday, the central agency raided eight locations across Punjab and Chandigarh. The court has ordered the CBI to submit a progress report within two months.