Punjab and Haryana High Court transfers corruption allegations to CBI

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation a matter concerning allegations of corruption in Punjab’s Chief Minister’s Office and involving private individuals, according to India Today. The proceedings followed three letters sent by the Enforcement Directorate to the Punjab Director General of Police. The ED alleged widespread corruption in transfers and postings, Change of Land Use matters and other government work, and sought action against several people.

The letters also named Rajbir Ghuman, an Officer on Special Duty to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The supplied report does not state that the allegations have been proven or that any person named in the correspondence has been convicted. The matter reached the High Court after the Punjab Police allegedly failed to act on the ED’s complaints.

Advocate Nikhil Saraf subsequently filed a public-interest litigation seeking action on the allegations. The High Court heard the petition on Monday and ordered that the matter be transferred to the CBI for investigation. The order was made against the backdrop of the ED’s complaints to the Punjab police chief.

The transfer places the allegations before the central investigative agency for examination. The supplied material does not provide details of the CBI’s next steps, identify any charges filed, or include responses from the Punjab government, the Chief Minister’s Office, the named officer or other persons mentioned in the ED letters. The report described the matter as developing and said it would be updated.

The court’s order concerns an investigation into allegations; it does not, on the information supplied, establish wrongdoing by the individuals or offices referred to in the case.