Punjab ED Letters Case: HC Orders CBI Probe, Seeks Report Within Two Months

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over the case concerning three letters sent by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to the Punjab Director General of Police, seeking registration of an FIR over alleged corruption.

The court has also directed the CBI to submit its report within two months.

The ED had written three letters to Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav alleging that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Rajbir Singh Ghuman, and his associates Nitin Gohal and Bir Devinder were involved in corruption and should be investigated.

According to the allegations cited in the ED's communications, the individuals were interfering in administrative transfers and postings as well as government tender processes.

The Punjab Police did not register a case following the ED's communications, after which advocate Nikhil Saraf filed a public interest litigation before the High Court seeking that the matter be handed over to the CBI.

Saraf's petition alleged that the ED letters contained serious allegations involving people linked to the Punjab Chief Minister's Office. He sought an independent investigation by the CBI, arguing that it should be conducted without the influence of the Punjab Police or Punjab Vigilance.

The petitioner also sought a detailed investigation into the alleged money trail and action against anyone found guilty.

The High Court's order comes after political parties had raised questions over the handling of the ED's allegations.

Last month, the Shiromani Akali Dal urged Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria to recommend a time-bound, court-monitored CBI investigation into what it described as an alleged corruption network operating from the Chief Minister's Office.

The SAD argued that since allegations involved the Chief Minister's Office, his OSD and the Chief Minister's wife, state investigative agencies had not been effective in addressing the matter. It asked the Governor to seek a report from the Chief Secretary and DGP under Article 167 of the Constitution on why an FIR had not been registered on the basis of the ED's reference.

The party also called for a central investigation into the allegations mentioned in the ED communications, including examination of the roles of public servants, intermediaries, developers and beneficiaries as well as the alleged money trail.

The BJP had similarly questioned the absence of an FIR. Former Union Minister Vijay Sampla had called for an independent CBI investigation into the matter.

Sampla said the ED's reference, based on material collected during its investigation, contained allegations relating to criminal conspiracy, corruption, unauthorised disclosure of confidential government information, interference in transfers and postings, manipulation of government policies and tenders, and alleged illegal gratification.

He had also sought registration of the FIR requested by the ED, preservation of documentary, digital and financial evidence, and a time-bound investigation covering the alleged roles of Gohal, Ghuman and others named in the ED material.