Chandigarh: Rajbir Singh Ghuman, officer on special duty (OSD) to chief minister Bhagwant Mann, again appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday and said that during the four-and-a-half-hour questioning, he was asked nearly 100 questions, which reflected the “political pressure” on central agencies to target the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) govt in Punjab.Interacting with the media after returning from the questioning, Ghuman said most questions were repetitions of those asked earlier and questioned the timing of the investigative action as elections approached, asserting that attempts to malign CM Mann and his office would not succeed.Ghuman questioned the purpose of the prolonged questioning, stating that most questions had already been asked during previous interactions. While acknowledging that officers were performing their duties, he asked who was exerting pressure on the officers and the investigative agencies.Drawing a parallel with West Bengal, Ghuman said that a similar pattern was being followed in Punjab; Ghuman questioned why the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had remained inactive for four years if there was evidence of wrongdoing, and why action was intensifying as elections approached.Ghuman said that he would continue to cooperate with the investigative agencies whenever summoned and confirmed that he would appear before the CBI again on Oct 31.“Investigative agencies were created to protect the Constitution, but today their purpose appears to have changed. The aim is to defame CM Mann and his office through me, but this will not succeed,” he said. Referring to ED raids at govt offices, Ghuman alleged that files are being seized as part of a politically motivated exercise aimed at targeting the Punjab govt.Legal notice to MajithiaSlamming SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia, Rajbir Singh Ghuman alleged that Majithia repeatedly attempted to drag his name into controversies involving drugs, mining and other matters, but would not succeed. “People already know whose name was associated with the drug issue and that Bikram Singh Majithia will not be able to shake off that perception,” he asserted.Ghuman said that he has sent a legal notice to Majithia over repeated attempts to link his name to unrelated matters. In a retort to Majithia, Ghuman challenged the Akali leader to answer questions about his reported stay in the United States. “Did anyone ask Majithia why he ran away to the US and where he stayed there? If he does not answer, I will share even the details of the house where he lived,” he said.
