Supreme Court Postpones Punjab Government's CBI Plea Until Tomorrow
The Supreme Court has deferred the Punjab Government's plea against a CBI investigation into corruption allegations linked to CM Bhagwant Mann's OSD.
The Supreme Court will revisit the Punjab Government's plea on October 9, 2026.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court had ordered a CBI probe into allegations against OSD Rajbir Singh Ghuman.
The Punjab Government claims the investigation is politically motivated ahead of upcoming elections.
On October 8, 2026, the Supreme Court of India adjourned a plea filed by the Punjab Government challenging the High Court's directive for a CBI investigation into corruption allegations against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Rajbir Singh Ghuman. The case will be taken up again on October 9, as the bench, comprising Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Sheel Nagu, noted that the file arrived late for review.
The Punjab Government's Special Leave Petition (SLP) contests a ruling made by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which mandated the CBI to initiate a criminal case based on claims of corruption. Senior Advocate Vikas Singh, representing the state, argued that the High Court's decision was politically driven, especially with elections approaching, and emphasized that the police should only act on credible information indicating a cognizable offense.
During the proceedings, Justice Datta expressed concerns about issuing an interim order without the other judge having the chance to review the case files. Singh had previously sought urgent consideration from the Chief Justice of India, asserting that the High Court's order contradicted established Supreme Court precedents regarding the necessity of police action.
The High Court's order stemmed from a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Nikhil Saraf, which alleged that the Punjab Police failed to respond adequately to information from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding Ghuman. The ED had raised concerns about Ghuman's involvement in facilitating illegal transfers and providing access to sensitive government documents, among other allegations. The High Court's directive for a CBI investigation was based on these claims, which the Punjab Government is now contesting in the Supreme Court.
As the case unfolds, the implications for the Punjab Government and its officials could be significant, particularly in light of the approaching elections. The Supreme Court's upcoming decision on October 9 will be crucial in determining the future of the investigation and the political landscape in Punjab.
