The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over the investigation into allegations raised in letters sent by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to the Punjab Director General of Police.
The order was passed on October 5, 2026, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by advocate Nikhil Saraf. The petitioner had approached the High Court after alleging that the Punjab Police did not register an FIR despite the ED's communications.
The CBI has been asked to submit its report within two months.
What were the ED Letters about?
The ED had sent three letters to Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav asking for registration of an FIR against Rajbir Singh Ghumman, an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and others.
The communications were reported to concern transfers and postings, government tenders and other administrative matters.
Earlier court proceedings established that the ED had sent communications to the Punjab DGP. The Indian Express reported in August that the letters were dated July 24, July 31 and August 7, 2026.
PIL became the turning point
The matter came up in the High Court because of advocate Nikhil Saraf’s PIL. The petition claimed there were serious irregularities in government functioning and called for an independent investigation by an independent agency.
The High Court had asked the ED to place the communications sent to the Punjab DGP before it earlier in these hearings. The court had also asked the Punjab government to respond to what action had been taken on the allegations.
The court then reserved its verdict after hearing arguments from the parties for several hearings. The Tribune reported on October 4 that the verdict was due on October 5.
CBI Now to investigate the allegations
With the latest order, the CBI will examine the material relating to the ED's communications and the allegations contained in them.
The ED had claimed that Ghumman and his associates had been involved in administrative transfers, postings and government tenders.
The transfer to the CBI does not mean the allegations have been proven. The allegations will now be subject to investigation by the central agency.
Why the Order Matters
The case is important because it involves allegations concerning the functioning of government departments and senior individuals in the Punjab Chief Minister's Office.
The High Court's decision also places the investigation outside the Punjab Police machinery, following the petitioner's contention that an independent investigation was necessary.
The CBI’s two-month reporting deadline means the next major development is expected after the agency analyzes the material and submits its report to the court.
