Sangrur (Gurpreet Singh): In an unusual scene during a Central Bureau of Investigation raid in Punjab’s Sangrur district, residents of Gharachon village reportedly welcomed the agency’s officials with flower petals and sweets as they arrived to search the residence of Rajbir Singh Ghuman, an Officer on Special Duty to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
The unexpected reception outside Ghuman’s house on Tuesday evening quickly became the talking point surrounding the CBI operation. Police later detained two people who allegedly showered flowers on a CBI vehicle as the officials carried out their search.
The incident took place a day before Chief Minister Mann’s scheduled visit to Sangrur. Police officials said some of those who gathered during the raid were believed to have links with opposition political parties.
The unusual display of support for the central investigating agency also resulted in action against a local police officer. Sangrur police suspended Gharachon SHO Yashpal Sharma, citing alleged negligence in the performance of his duties.
A senior police official confirmed the detentions and the SHO’s suspension, saying that police action was taken partly in view of the Chief Minister’s visit to the district.
Flowers outside the house draw attention
Videos and accounts of the incident reportedly showed people gathered near the CBI team’s vehicles, with some showering petals as the officials proceeded with the search. Sweets were also distributed among those present.
The development stood out because CBI raids typically attract attention for the investigation itself, whereas the sight of residents greeting investigators with flowers and sweets presented a markedly different picture.
The presence of people allegedly associated with opposition groups added a political layer to the episode, particularly because the search involved the residence of an official attached to the Chief Minister’s office.
CBI searches multiple locations
The search at Ghuman’s Gharachon residence began on Tuesday evening. The agency also searched a property in Sector 2, Chandigarh, being used as the Chief Minister’s camp office and where Ghuman had reportedly been staying.
The CBI operation was not limited to Sangrur and Chandigarh. Its teams also carried out searches at locations in Mohali, Gurdaspur, Ludhiana, Patiala and Jalandhar linked to individuals named in the investigation.
While the searches were underway, the unusual welcome given to the CBI team became a separate point of focus, eventually prompting the Sangrur police to detain two people.
The police have not publicly detailed the allegations against the detained individuals. The CBI investigation is continuing.
