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The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered the CBI to investigate allegations involving aides linked to CM Bhagwant Mann’s office. (Img: X)
Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe allegations of corruption linked to the office of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had raised concerns in communications to the state police.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor directed the CBI to register a criminal case and conduct an investigation into the allegations. The agency has been asked to submit a report to the Court within two months.
The proceedings stem from communications sent by the ED to the Punjab Director General of Police seeking registration of an FIR over alleged corruption involving Mann's Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Rajbir Singh Ghuman, and others.
The matter reached the High Court through a Public Interest Litigation filed by advocate Nikhil Saraf. The petitioner contended that despite the ED's communications, the Punjab Police had not taken the necessary steps to register a criminal case.
According to the allegations placed before the Court, private individual Nitin Gohal allegedly acted as an intermediary between persons seeking government-related favours and Ghuman.
The allegations include purported interference in government transfers and postings, access to confidential official material, facilitation of arms licences and other benefits. The ED had also raised allegations concerning possible influence over government functioning and official decisions.
These allegations remain subject to investigation and have not been judicially established. While transferring the matter to the CBI, the High Court directed the Punjab government and the Punjab Police to extend all necessary assistance to the central agency to ensure a fair investigation.
The CBI has been given a period of two months to place its report before the Court. The order came after the High Court had earlier sought responses from the Punjab government, police authorities, the CBI, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau and the ED on the allegations raised in the PIL.
The matter has also generated a political dispute in Punjab. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party has alleged that central agencies are being used by the Union government to target and discredit the state administration.
The Punjab government had earlier questioned the maintainability of the PIL and raised objections concerning the petitioner's credentials. It had also argued that the police needed to examine the material supplied by the ED before taking a decision on registration of an FIR.
The High Court's latest order now places the investigation outside the state police machinery, with the CBI tasked with examining the allegations and reporting its findings to the Court within the stipulated timeframe.
