Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday ordered that the case concerning letters written by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to the Punjab DGP be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The court also directed the CBI to submit its report within two months.
The ED had written three letters to Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, alleging that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s OSD Rajbir Singh Ghuman and his associates Nitin Gohal and Bir Devinder were involved in corruption and calling for an FIR to be registered against them.
According to the agency’s allegations, the individuals were interfering in administrative transfers and postings as well as government tenders.
ED Sought FIR Against CM’s OSD and Associates
The matter reached the Punjab and Haryana High Court after the Punjab Police did not register a case based on the ED’s letters.
A PIL was filed by Advocate Nikhil Saraf, seeking that the matter be handed over to the CBI for an independent investigation.
In the petition, Saraf said the ED’s letters contained serious allegations against officials linked to the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office. He argued that the case should be investigated by the CBI to ensure a “fair and independent investigation” free from the influence of the Punjab Police and Punjab Vigilance.
The petitioner also sought a detailed investigation into the alleged money trail and strict action against anyone found guilty.
SAD, BJP Had Also Raised Questions Over Police Inaction
Last month, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) urged Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria to recommend a time-bound, court-monitored CBI probe into what it described as an organised corruption racket allegedly operating from the Chief Minister’s Office.
The SAD said that when the CMO, the CM’s OSD and the Chief Minister’s wife were the subject of allegations and state investigation agencies were allegedly proving ineffective, the Governor should exercise his powers under Article 167 to seek a report from the Chief Secretary and DGP on why no FIR had been registered on the ED’s reference.
The party also urged the Governor to intervene with the state government and sought a court-monitored, time-bound CBI investigation into the corruption allegations mentioned in the ED’s reference, including the roles of public servants, intermediaries, developers and beneficiaries and the alleged money trail.
The BJP had also questioned the police’s alleged inaction.
Former Union Minister Vijay Sampla had demanded an independent CBI probe into the matter, saying the ED reference contained serious allegations relating to criminal conspiracy, corruption, unauthorised leakage of confidential government information, interference in transfers and postings, manipulation of government policies and tenders, illegal gratification and other cognisable offences.
Sampla also demanded registration of the FIR sought by the ED, preservation of digital, documentary and financial evidence, and a time-bound CBI investigation into the matter, including the alleged roles of Gohal, Ghuman and other persons named in the ED material.