Chandigarh, August 24: Dr Gurpreet Kaur Mann, wife of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, on Sunday categorically dismissed allegations of demanding Rs 5 crore to influence a criminal investigation, maintaining that the accusations are entirely baseless and intended solely to target the Chief Minister politically.
Appearing alongside Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh and Punjab State Commission for Women chairperson Raj Lalli Gill at a Teej event in Patiala, Gurpreet issued a direct challenge to her detractors. She maintained that she will not be cowed down by their allegations or by the extent to which opponents stoop for political gains, asserting that her accusers must prove what they have alleged or face legal action.
The controversy originated from claims made by former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge, Justice Ranjit Singh (retd), who maintained that Gurpreet had sought a bribe from an accused in a rape case in exchange for scuttling the probe. The former judge further alleged that a close relative of hers maintained continuous communication with the accused to press for the settlement sum.
Addressing the broader political climate, Gurpreet affirmed that the current administration has delivered on its commitments unlike previous regimes. She stated that for the first time in Punjab’s history, all pre-poll promises made by a political party have been fulfilled under AAP governance, maintaining that voters will evaluate the government in 2027 based on these achievements and benefits extended to women.
The situation escalated following regulatory intervention and formal legal steps by the Chief Minister’s Office. The National Human Rights Commission took cognisance of the matter, directing the Punjab Chief Secretary and the DGP to submit an action taken report within two weeks, after which the Chief Minister’s Office confirmed that a legal notice had been served to the former judge.
