CHANDIGARH: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted late-night raids at the Punjab Vigilance Bureau office in Mohali on Monday, arresting several alleged middlemen on charges of collecting bribes on behalf of a senior official, authorities said on Tuesday.

According to an official statement, the raids were carried out past midnight as part of an ongoing investigation into bribery transactions estimated at approximately ₹20 lakh. The middlemen were found to be operating from within the premises of the state's own anti-corruption body, lending the case a particularly pointed irony.

Official Absconding, Not Responding to Calls

While the arrested middlemen have been provided police protection by the Punjab government, the senior Vigilance Bureau official on whose behalf the bribes were allegedly being collected remains at large. Authorities confirmed that the officer has been unreachable and is not responding to phone calls, raising concerns about a possible attempt to evade investigators.

AAP Minister Already in ED Custody

The fresh arrests come at a time of mounting legal pressure on the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab. AAP Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora is already in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with separate money laundering allegations, compounding the political difficulties confronting the state administration.

The CBI is expected to intensify its probe in the days ahead, with sources indicating that the arrested middlemen are being questioned to establish the full chain of the alleged bribery network.