ED letters to Punjab DGP: Mann govt moves SC against HC-ordered CBI probe

The Punjab government has approached the Supreme Court against the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s order directing a CBI probe into corruption allegations involving Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s OSD Rajvir Ghuman and associates. The High Court had sought a report within two months

New Delhi/Chandigarh: The Punjab government has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s order directing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe allegations of corruption involving Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s OSD Rajvir Ghuman and others.

As per details available on the apex court’s official website, a Special Leave Petition (SLP) has been filed by the State of Punjab through its Home Department and registered as Diary No. 62464/2026. The petition was filed in the early hours of Tuesday (October 6) and is currently listed as “pending”.

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The state government has approached the Supreme Court a day after the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered that the matter arising from three letters written by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to the Punjab DGP be handed over to the CBI.

The High Court also directed the CBI to register a case and submit a status report within two months. The ED had written three letters to Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, alleging that CM Bhagwant Mann’s OSD Rajvir Ghuman and his associates Nitin Gohal and Bir Devinder were involved in corruption.

The central anti-money laundering agency had claimed that they were interfering in administrative transfers and postings, besides government tenders, and had called for registration of an FIR.

After the Punjab Police did not register a case on the basis of the ED communications, advocate Nikhil Saraf filed a PIL before the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a CBI probe.

In his petition, Saraf had argued that the ED letters contained serious allegations concerning persons linked to the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office and sought a “fair and independent investigation” free from the influence of the Punjab Police and Punjab Vigilance.

He had also sought an investigation into the alleged money trail and appropriate action against those found guilty. While directing the CBI probe, the High Court ordered the investigating agency to submit its report within two months and directed the Punjab government and police to extend full cooperation to the CBI.

Meanwhile, Punjab BJP President Kewal Singh Dhillon welcomed the High Court’s decision to hand over the matter to the CBI and attacked the Mann government over the allegations.

Speaking to the media in Chandigarh on Monday, Dhillon said the development had exposed the reality behind a government that claims to follow a “zero-tolerance” policy towards corruption.

He demanded that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann should resign immediately, alleging that the government had lost the moral right to remain in power. Dhillon said the ED had written to the Punjab DGP three times, but the Punjab Police did not register an FIR, following which the matter reached the High Court through a PIL.

He expressed hope that the CBI would conduct a fair and transparent investigation and questioned why the government had allegedly resisted an investigation despite repeated communications from the ED.

Dhillon demanded that the Punjab government and the police provide all necessary records to the CBI and extend full cooperation so that the investigation could be completed within the two-month deadline fixed by the High Court.