SAD delegation meets Punjab Governor, seeks CBI probe into alleged paper leaks
Prabh Sidhu
Chandigarh, July 31, 2026: A delegation of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), led by party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, met the Governor of Punjab on Friday and submitted a memorandum raising concerns over the Barnala incident and alleged examination paper leaks in the state.
After the meeting, Sukhbir Singh Badal and other senior party leaders addressed a press conference and levelled several allegations against the Punjab government.
Badal alleged that the Punjab Police was functioning under political pressure and claimed that people who raised their voices against the government were being targeted. Referring to the Barnala incident, he alleged that no stringent action had been taken against the DSP concerned and that the officer had only been suspended following public pressure.
He demanded the registration of a murder case against the DSP and sought the officer’s dismissal from service. Badal said that if action was not taken, legal proceedings should also be initiated against officials responsible for the alleged incident, including the Chief Minister.
Raising the issue of alleged examination paper leaks, the SAD president described the matter as a serious concern and accused the state government of failing to take effective action despite directions from the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
He alleged that examination papers for Class 10 and Class 12 were leaked in March 2026, while a pharmacy examination paper was allegedly leaked in Faridkot on July 19. He also claimed that several recruitment processes and examinations had been stayed by the High Court and that multiple related cases were pending before the courts.
Badal alleged that examination papers were leaked to benefit people close to the government and claimed that jobs were being offered at fixed rates. He said the issue had also been raised in Parliament and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into all alleged paper leak cases in Punjab.
He claimed that a fair and impartial investigation could expose influential people allegedly involved in the matter. Badal further alleged that Punjab’s youth were being denied employment opportunities while candidates from other states were being given preference.
The SAD president announced that the party would organise protests and public rallies at various locations across Punjab from August 1. He said a party meeting had also been convened to finalise the strategy for the proposed agitation.
Meanwhile, senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia also criticised the Punjab government during the press conference. He raised questions over Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s participation in an archery activity during a religious event in Patiala.
Majithia also questioned changes made to the Punjab hockey team’s uniform and sought clarification regarding the government’s claims about developing sports grounds across the state.