Court orders CBI probe into CM Mann's aide over corruption charges flagged by ED

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered a CBI probe into allegations of corruption involving Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s office and private persons, after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had written to the Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) seeking action in the matter.

The ED had written three letters to the senior cop alleging widespread corruption in government transfers and postings, Change of Land Use (CLU) matters and other dealings in Punjab.

The agency had sought action against several people in connection with the allegations and had named Rajbir Ghuman, an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

The allegations had emerged during an ED investigation into a money laundering case involving a housing society and alleged irregularities in obtaining CLU permission. The agency had alleged that fake consent letters were used in the process and had flagged the alleged role of people connected to the Punjab Chief Minister's Office.

In its communications to the Punjab DGP, the ED had also said that a network of private individuals was involved in influencing government processes, including transfers and postings. The agency sought police action against the persons named in its letters.

The ED's communications triggered a political row in Punjab, with Mann rejecting the allegations as baseless. In August, the Chief Minister said there was no truth in the allegations and questioned the credibility of the claims being made against his government.

Mann also accused the BJP-led Centre of using central agencies such as the ED and the CBI to target political opponents. He said such agencies were being used to defame, threaten and suppress opposition leaders and political rivals.

The Punjab government had also pushed back against the allegations, with Mann maintaining that his government had nothing to hide and that the accusations were politically motivated.

Meanwhile, the ED had continued to seek action from the Punjab Police on the allegations. However, when the state police did not take action on the agency's letters, advocate Nikhil Saraf filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The PIL sought judicial intervention over the alleged inaction by the Punjab Police and sought action on the allegations raised by the ED.

Hearing the matter, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday transferred the case to the CBI for investigation.

The CBI probe will now examine the allegations raised by the ED, including the claims of corruption in transfers and postings, CLU-related matters and the alleged involvement of people connected to the Punjab Chief Minister's Office.- Ends