Setback for Mann Government as High Court Orders CBI Probe

CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: Chandigarh. The Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab suffered a major setback on Monday. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered that the investigation into alleged corruption linked to the Chief Minister’s Office be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation, or CBI. The court directed the CBI to submit its investigation report within two months.

The matter relates to three letters sent by the Enforcement Directorate to the Director General of Police, Punjab. In these letters, the ED had sought an investigation and registration of an FIR against Rajbir Singh Ghumman, Officer on Special Duty to the Chief Minister, and some others over allegations of corruption. The allegations referred to purported irregularities in matters related to transfers and appointments, change of land use, and tenders.

After the Punjab Police did not register an FIR on these complaints, Advocate Nikhil Saraf filed a public interest litigation in the High Court seeking an independent investigation. During the hearing, the court underlined the need for a fair and transparent probe and has now handed the investigation to the CBI.

The corruption allegations made in the case remain under investigation. The veracity of the allegations will become clear only after the CBI probe and further judicial proceedings. The Punjab government had earlier described the allegations as politically motivated.

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