The Supreme Court on Monday granted interim relief to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s Officer on Special Duty, Rajbir Singh Ghuman, directing the Central Bureau of Investigation not to take any coercive steps against him while permitting the corruption probe to continue.
A bench of the apex court issued notice on a petition filed by the Punjab government that challenged the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s direction to register a first information report and order a CBI investigation into the allegations. However, the court declined to quash or stay the FIR at this stage.
Clarifying its ruling, the bench stated that the investigation would proceed, but no coercive measures could be taken against individuals linked to the case for the time being. The court also emphasized that the Punjab government and local authorities must cooperate fully with the ongoing inquiry.
The Supreme Court’s directive provides Ghuman with temporary protection from adverse actions, though it stops short of halting the CBI investigation into allegations involving him and other figures connected to the Chief Minister’s Office.
The legal proceedings originate from communications dispatched by the Enforcement Directorate to the Punjab Director General of Police, highlighting suspected corruption concerning government transfers and postings, policy determinations, tender procedures, licensing issues, and land-related transactions.
The Enforcement Directorate had urged action against multiple individuals, including Ghuman, asserting that private parties were exerting influence over state decisions and securing undue advantages in exchange for financial or other considerations. These accusations surfaced during a broader money laundering investigation centered on a housing society and alleged irregularities tied to obtaining Change of Land Use permissions.
The federal agency pointed to the suspected use of fabricated consent letters during the process and alleged involvement by persons associated with the Chief Minister's Office. After the Punjab Police declined to register an FIR based on these communications, a petitioner approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court to demand an independent probe.
In early October, the High Court instructed the CBI to register a criminal case and investigate the allegations, while also ordering the state government and Punjab Police to supply all required documents and administrative assistance.
Following that directive, the CBI registered an FIR naming Ghuman and other suspects in connection with allegations of corruption and influence-peddling. In response, the Punjab government appealed to the Supreme Court to contest the High Court's mandate.
The state's legal challenge questioned the foundation of the order, specifically pointing to statutory provisions requiring prior approval before investigating public servants for decisions made in the line of official duty. The state argued that the High Court ordered an FIR into administrative matters like transfers and policy choices without properly factoring in legal safeguards for public employees.
While the Supreme Court has accepted the state's plea for review by issuing a notice, it has opted not to stay the FIR or pause the inquiry itself. The prohibition against coercive steps serves as an interim safeguard while the broader legal arguments remain unresolved in court, and the accusations against Ghuman and his co-accused have not yet been proven through a judicial trial.