Mann, wife taking ₹5cr bribes to quash rape cases: BJP
What's the story
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has leveled serious allegations against Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his wife. The party alleged that the couple is running an extortion racket to settle rape cases for a bribe of up to ₹5 crore. BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari made these allegations during a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday.
Evidence presented
Mann running new extortion, corruption racket in Punjab: Bhandari
Bhandari claimed to have audio recordings and documents to back his allegations.
"The audio recordings...and the evidence that has come before us point to the fact that within Punjab, Bhagwant Mann is running a new extortion racket and a new corruption racket. Inside this corruption racket, he and his wife, through middlemen and intermediaries, are facing allegations of taking bribes of up to 5 crore rupees each to quash cases, including legitimate rape cases," Bhandari said.
Twitter Post
Bhandari's press conference
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann is facing serious allegations of running a racket, with his wife accused of using middlemen to settle legitimate rape cases in exchange for ₹5 crore.
— BJP (@BJP4India) September 3, 2026
This video prima facie raises serious questions about whether the CM is personally intervening to end a… pic.twitter.com/7u72J0nZV8
Probe demand
SAD demands CBI probe into Mann's alleged corruption
Separately, a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) delegation led by party president Sukhbir Singh Badal met Punjab Governor Gulab Singh Kataria.
They demanded a high-level Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into alleged corruption in the Chief Minister's Office and attempts to protect a rape accused.
The demand came after the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued a notice to Gurpreet Kaur, Mann's wife, over allegations of taking ₹5 crore bribe to protect influencer Gurvinder Singh Chahal in a rape case.
Resignation call
BJP accuses AAP government in Punjab of corruption
The NHRC acted in response to a complaint filed by Ranjit Singh, a retired High Court judge, over an alleged syndicate including the Chief Minister's wife.
The incident came to light in April, when the woman's father claimed that she was abducted by Chahal.
The woman was rescued on May 1, after which rape charges were filed and Chahal was arrested.
However, he was released in July, prompting the SAD to accuse the Punjab Police of conducting a "botched investigation."