High Court Transfers ED’s Corruption Complaint to CBI
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed that a matter involving alleged misuse of power by officials attached to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The case originated from a series of letters dispatched by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to Punjab’s Director General of Police, Gaurav Yadav, urging action.
Petition background
Advocate Nikhil Saraf filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) after the state police reportedly ignored the ED’s three communications. The letters sought an FIR against the chief minister’s Officer on Special Duty, Rajbir Singh Ghuman, and several others for alleged interference in government transfers, postings, tenders and related administrative decisions.
CBI instructed to file FIR and file report
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor ordered the CBI to register a criminal case and launch a full‑scale probe. The agency must present a comprehensive status report to the court within two months, and the bench directed the Punjab government and state police to extend full cooperation.
PIL prompted by police inaction
The petition argues that the Punjab police’s refusal to act on the ED’s letters left the PIL as the sole avenue for an independent inquiry. The ED’s concerns surfaced amid an ongoing money‑laundering investigation, highlighting possible involvement of private intermediaries and individuals close to the chief minister’s office in influencing official decisions.
Political fallout
The development is likely to intensify the already charged political atmosphere in the state. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated, accusing central agencies of being weaponised against the government. Chief Minister Mann has similarly branded the claims as baseless. With the High Court now tasking the CBI, the probe will proceed at the central level, and the mandated two‑month report sets a clear deadline for the next phase of proceedings.
