The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay the CBI FIR against Rajbir Singh Ghuman, the officer on special duty to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, though it directed that no coercive steps be taken. Justices MM Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale issued the notice to the Punjab government and to Nikhil Saraf, the lawyer who filed the public‑interest litigation that triggered the High Court’s intervention.
The High Court had earlier ordered the CBI to register the case on October 5, after Saraf’s petition alleged that Punjab Police had ignored Enforcement Directorate alerts about alleged corruption involving Mann’s office. The CBI responded by conducting searches at eight sites across Punjab and Chandigarh, including a municipal office and a government procurement hub. Allegations range from bribery and influence‑peddling to the illicit use of confidential policy drafts and land‑approval documents.
Sanjay Kumar, a small‑town shopkeeper in Ludhiana, says the probe has halted his business, as the license he applied for was delayed by the investigation. He added that the uncertainty has pushed his family toward the city for work.
The court ordered the CBI to file a full investigative report within two months, with the matter slated for a December 7 hearing. Punjab authorities must now cooperate fully with the agency, providing documents and access to officials.
Lawyers for the Punjab government are preparing arguments for the upcoming hearing, while CBI investigators are racing to meet the deadline amidst mounting pressure from opposition parties.