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The Punjab and Haryana High Court (PHHC) directed the counsel representing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on 27 Aug to place before it communications allegedly sent to the Panjab Director-General of Police (DGP), Gaurav Yadav, regarding a letter alleging large scale scam by senior officers of the state of Panjab. Based on a letter the ED had sent to Panjab DGP on 11 Aug, lawyer Nikhil Saraf filed the petition alleging that senior officials are involved in ‘cash for transfers; cash for getting favorable policies; cash for tenders, and other illegal activities. The ED had alleged that Nitin Gohal, a private individual, acted as an intermediary between persons seeking government favors and Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Chief Minister Rajbir Ghuman. The petitioner alleged that the persons involved had access to the CM office and were operating a bribery network that influenced the transfers and postings of administrative, and police officials, facilitated tenders, permissions and licences for builders, land developers and other entrepreneurs, leaked confidential government documents, and even facilitated arms licences. The Aam Aadmi Party-led Panjab government, however, termed the letter a ploy by the Bharatiya Janata Party to use ED against the ruling dispensation. The petitioner, therefore, sought an independent investigation into the allegations and requested that the matter be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation. He further alleged that despite several complaints and representations, the Panjab DGP and the Vigilance Bureau had failed to follow Supreme Court of India directions regarding the registration of First Information Reports in cases involving cognisable offences. Days later, Ghuman sent a notice to several media platforms and technology intermediaries covering reports about the ED’s purported letter that alleged his involvement in the scam. Among the media outlets named in the notice are Hindustan Times, The Print, ABP Sanjha, and PTC News, apart from platforms Google, Meta, and X. The notice terms the news reports as ‘false, baseless, reckless, motivated, and malicious’ and says that ‘no fair or meaningful attempt’ was made to verify the allegations from Ghuman or with any competent official source. Meanwhile, Gurpreet Singh Gopi, an AAP leader, was shot dead after armed assailants chased the motorcycle on which he was travelling and opened fire in Mamdot, Ferozpur district on 29 Aug (earlier coverage).
OSD to Panjab CM Rajbir Singh Ghuman
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