The Punjab and Haryana High Court has handed over to the CBI the investigation into allegations raised by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Rajbir Singh Ghumman and others.
The controversy stems from an ED investigation into alleged irregularities in land-use permissions and government dealings.
Earlier reporting noted: HC hands over ED probe on high-level Punjab graft to CBI Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday handed over an investigation into Enforcement Directorate (ED) letters detailing alleged top-level government corruption in Punjab directly to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The controversy stems from an ED investigation into alleged irregularities in land-use permissions and government dealings. During the probe, the central probe agency questioned private individual Nitin Gohal and alleged that he acted as an intermediary between people seeking government favours and Ghumman. “I welcome the Hon’ble High Court’s decision in the corruption case linked to the Chief Minister’s Office. The investigation must now be fair, impartial, transparent and time-bound-with no delay, political pressure or attempt to dilute it. “Aam Aadmi Party came to power promising to fight corruption and strengthen the Lokpal. If corruption has now reached from the MLA level to the Chief Minister’s Office, there must be complete accountability. Punjab’s exchequer belongs to its people. Whether it is free electricity, canal water, cashless healthcare, or financial assistance being transferred into women’s accounts, the Centre has withheld Punjab’s funds. Despite this, the Punjab government is providing various facilities to the people from its own funds. The Central government believes that as long as these facilities continue to reach the people, it will not be able to gain political benefit in Punjab. That is why the Punjab government’s team is being targeted. The court further ordered the Punjab government and state police to render full cooperation and assistance to the central agency during the inquiry. The ED alleged that Gohal, in collusion with Ghuman and other associates, including Bir Devinder and Jitin Gohal, operated an organised bribery network out of the chief minister’s office. The network allegedly collected crores in cash and real estate in exchange for influencing IAS/IPS postings, leaking confidential government files, facilitating arms licences, and clearing commercial projects. The state government had opposed the PIL, questioning its maintainability and the credentials of the petitioner.
Appearing for the state, the advocate general argued that police were actively examining the matter and maintained that an FIR could not be registered without completing a preliminary inquiry, seeking a three-week extension on September 14 when judgment was reserved.
Everyone responsible for causing loss to Punjab’s exchequer must be held accountable, regardless of how powerful or influential they may be,” Pargat Singh said. Every rupee must be accounted for,” said BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu. “Despite repeated letters from the Enforcement Directorate regarding alleged corruption in the Chief Minister’s Office and residence, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has handed over the entire investigation to the CBI and directed it to submit a report within two months,” Majithia said. AAP General Secretary Baltej Pannu, reacting to the High Court-ordered CBI probe, said: “The Central government does not want the people of Punjab to receive the facilities being provided by the Punjab government. Earlier reporting noted: According to the ED’s letters—derived from material seized during an ongoing money-laundering investigation involving GMADA land allotments—a private individual named Nitin Gohal acted as an intermediary for Rajbir Singh Ghuman, the officer on special duty (OSD) to chief minister Bhagwant Mann.
Earlier reporting noted: A division bench of chief justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and justice Rohit Kapoor directed the CBI to register a criminal case and submit a status report within two months.
