In Context
oi-Oneindia Staff
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognisance of explosive allegations that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s wife, Dr Gurpreet Kaur, allegedly demanded Rs 5 crore to suppress a rape case in Amritsar, and has ordered a high-level inquiry with a two-week deadline.
The move comes after the victim’s family approached the NHRC and the Punjab & Haryana High Court, accusing local police of bias, pressure tactics and a botched investigation into FIR No. 77 (dated 29.04.2026) registered at Police Station Civil Lines, Amritsar.
The NHRC ordered a high-level inquiry within 15 days into allegations that Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s wife, Dr. Gurpreet Kaur, demanded Rs 5 crore to suppress a rape case in Amritsar, after the victim’s family approached the Commission and High Court.
What is the matter?
The Punjab and Haryana High Court’s order in Arjan Singh and another v. State of Punjab and others does not hold Gurpreet Kaur or any other person guilty. However, it records allegations of political influence, pressure on the complainant’s family and efforts to secure cancellation of FIR No. 77 dated April 29, 2026.
The petitioners alleged that the accused had abducted the woman on a promise of marriage, established sexual relations against her will, threatened to circulate obscene photographs and attempted to blackmail her. They further alleged that the local police pressured the family to support cancellation of the FIR and that influential intermediaries were involved. The State and private respondents denied the allegations.
An NHRC bench headed by member Priyank Kanoongo said it received a complaint from retired Punjab & Haryana High Court judge Justice Ranjit Singh alleging that Dr Gurpreet Kaur sought a Rs 5 crore bribe to hush up the rape case.
Calling the allegation “a matter of concern” given its link to women’s safety and the stature of the person named, the Commission directed the Punjab Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP) to inquire into the claims and submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) within 15 days. The matter has also been forwarded to the Women’s Safety Division of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
“We have received a complaint from former Punjab-Haryana High Court Justice Ranjit Singh alleging that the wife of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann attempted to hush up a rape case in exchange for a bribe of Rs 5 crore,” NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo said.
“Officials should exercise the powers granted by the Constitution for the welfare of the people; if they act under any kind of political pressure, action can be taken against them,” Kanoongo added.
Victim’s family alleges police pressure, threats and political influence
The NHRC’s intervention follows a detailed writ petition filed by the victim’s family in the Punjab & Haryana High Court, in which they laid out a series of serious claims about how the investigation was being handled.
Key allegations by the family include:
- Biased probe: Police allegedly acted under the accused’s influence, not impartially.
- FIR withdrawal pressure: Officials visited the family’s home and pressurised them to support cancelling the FIR.
- Threats/intimidation: Accused and associates threatened the victim’s brother she wouldn’t be allowed to marry anyone else and warned of uploading obscene photos to push her father to suicide.
- Political links: Petition cited claims (also in the accused’s associate’s writ) of a close associate’s connection to the CM’s wife and a Rs 4-5 crore demand to cancel the FIR.
- Financial muscle: Family alleged the accused is using money, including funds sent from abroad, to influence the investigation.
- Custody release: Accused’s release by a local magistrate deepened the family’s fear the probe was being manipulated.
High Court’s response: Fresh team, state-level supervision
While the High Court declined to transfer the case to the CBI, it acknowledged the “genuine apprehension” in the family’s mind about fairness. In a July 20, 2026, order, Justice Mandeep Pannu partly allowed the petition and directed the DGP Punjab to place the investigation under the supervision of the Special DGP (Women Affairs/Women Welfare), Punjab.
The High Court also directed the Special DGP to nominate a senior Gazetted Officer who had not been associated earlier with the case to conduct the investigation. The court specified that the new investigating officer must re-examine all material independently, carry out further investigation as required, and conclude the probe uninfluenced by any observations in the order.
“The investigation to be conducted strictly in accordance with law, objectively, fairly, impartially and expeditiously, with full cooperation from all concerned”, the Punjab and Haryana High Court added further.
The Court emphasised it was not deciding the truth of the rival allegations at this stage, but ensuring confidence in the criminal justice process.
Punjab government and Dr Gurpreet Kaur’s position
Publicly available reports indicate that Dr Gurpreet Kaur has issued a legal notice to Justice Ranjit Singh over his allegations, asking him to respond within 24 hours.
The Punjab government, through its counsel in the High Court, maintained that, “The investigation is going on and being conducted strictly in accordance with law. The accused’s release was by the competent magistrate based on investigation material, not due to any improper influence. No final report or cancellation report has been filed yet, so there is no basis to transfer the investigation at this stage.”
The accused’s side has denied all allegations of political pressure, threats, and attempts to secure cancellation of the FIR, calling them “false, baseless and devoid of merit.”
A wider pattern of accountability questions
This controversy comes amid other allegations involving people connected with the Mann government. These matters are distinct and should not be treated as proof of a single conspiracy, but together they raise questions about the government’s standards of accountability.
| Matter | What has been reported | Government or accused response |
|---|---|---|
| Vijay Singla | Health Minister Vijay Singla was dismissed and arrested in 2022 after allegations that he sought a 1% commission in departmental tenders. | Singla was removed from the Cabinet; opposition parties later questioned the absence of stronger party-level consequences. |
| Fauja Singh Sarari | An audio recording allegedly involving then Minister Fauja Singh Sarari and an aide was reported to contain discussion of extorting money from officials and transporters. | Sarari denied wrongdoing and said the audio was doctored; he later resigned from the Cabinet. |
| Rajbir Singh Ghuman and associates | The Enforcement Directorate reportedly asked the Punjab DGP to register a case over an alleged transfer-and-posting racket linked to the CM’s OSD, including alleged influence over postings, government approvals, arms licences and confidential documents. | The Punjab government said it was examining the ED’s communication; Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema accused the Opposition of weaponising central agencies, while Mann rejected allegations of wrongdoing. |
| Land and CLU investigations | ED investigations reportedly examined alleged forged consent documents used in change-of-land-use approvals connected with the Suntec City project, alongside alleged money laundering. | The allegations remain under investigation and should be adjudicated through due process. |
Matter What has been reported Government or accused response
Vijay Singla Then Health Minister Vijay Singla was dismissed and arrested in 2022 after allegations that he sought a 1% commission in departmental tenders. Singla was removed from the Cabinet; opposition parties later questioned the absence of stronger party-level consequences. phhc.gov
Fauja Singh Sarari An audio recording allegedly involving then Minister Fauja Singh Sarari and an aide was reported to contain discussion of extorting money from officials and transporters. Sarari denied wrongdoing and said the audio was doctored; he later resigned from the Cabinet.
Rajbir Singh Ghuman and associates The Enforcement Directorate reportedly asked the Punjab DGP to register a case over an alleged transfer-and-posting racket linked to the CM’s OSD, including alleged influence over postings, government approvals, arms licences and confidential documents. The Punjab government said it was examining the ED’s communication; Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema accused the Opposition of weaponising central agencies, while Mann rejected allegations of wrongdoing.
Land and CLU investigations ED investigations reportedly examined alleged forged consent documents used in change-of-land-use approvals connected with the Suntec City project, alongside alleged money laundering. The allegations remain under investigation and should be adjudicated through due process.
Stakes for Punjab’s law-and-order
The case sits at the intersection of three highly charged issues:
- Women’s safety and justice in sexual offence cases.
- Alleged political interference in policing and investigations.
- Credibility of human rights institutions when top political figures are named.
How Punjab’s leadership responds to the NHRC’s deadline and how transparently the new investigation team conducts its probe, will be closely watched by rights groups, the courts and the public.
