Bittu accuses Mann of dishonesty, calls for transparent inquiry

New Delhi, October 5 (IANs) – In a scathing statement on Monday, BJP politician Ravneet Singh Bittu labeled Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as “dishonest” after the Punjab‑Haryana High Court ordered a CBI investigation into alleged corruption linked to the chief minister’s office.

Bittu argued that Mann, who campaigned on a promise to make Punjab corruption‑free, now faces “grave questions that stem from his own office.” He said the High Court’s intervention has exposed a serious accountability gap at the highest echelons of the state government.

The senior lawyer Nikhil Saraf, despite facing alleged intimidation, filed a comprehensive petition of more than 200 pages detailing accusations of illegal payments for officer postings, transfers, major development schemes of GMADA and GLADA, weapon licences, land‑related matters and mining activities. Bittu demanded that the CBI examine each allegation with full transparency.

He also highlighted recent disputes over ministerial residences in Chandigarh, noting that such controversies further erode public confidence. “The people of Punjab deserve clear answers, not political slogans,” Bittu asserted.

Regarding the Enforcement Directorate’s four letters to the Punjab DGP that have reportedly gone unanswered, Bittu questioned the state’s willingness to cooperate with investigative bodies. He warned that if the claims tied to the CM’s office are substantiated, it would constitute a “serious breach of public trust.”

Bittu praised the High Court’s decision to hand the case to the CBI, urging an unbiased probe that holds every individual accountable, irrespective of position or party affiliation. “The promise of ‘radical honesty’ must be tested, and the truth must emerge through a rigorous CBI investigation,” he concluded.