ED registers money laundering case against Punjab CM's OSD Rajbir Ghuman amid corruption probe
Chandigarh, Oct 13 (UNI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has reportedly registered a money laundering case through its Jalandhar office in connection with corruption allegations against Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Rajbir Singh Ghuman, adding a fresh dimension to the investigation into an alleged racket involving government transfers, postings, contracts and land-related approvals.
The reported development comes a day after the Supreme Court granted Ghuman and other accused interim protection against coercive action in a case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), while declining to stay the FIR or halt the investigation. The fresh ED proceedings have been reported by local media, although an official confirmation of the new Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) and its precise scope was not immediately available.
The case stems from allegations that individuals allegedly connected with the Chief Minister's Office influenced administrative decisions in exchange for financial benefits.
The ED had earlier sent three communications to Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, flagging suspected corruption involving transfers and postings of government officials, policy decisions, tender conditions, licensing, land-use conversions and other government approvals. According to the allegations, Nitin Gohal allegedly acted as an intermediary between individuals seeking official favours and Ghuman. Investigators have cited WhatsApp conversations and other digital material purportedly indicating attempts to influence administrative decisions and secure financial benefits.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on October 5 directed the CBI to register a criminal case and investigate the allegations after examining the material forwarded by the ED. The court also ordered the agency to submit a status report within two months. Acting on the directions, the CBI registered a case against Ghuman and five others and conducted searches at several locations, including premises associated with the Chief Minister's camp office in Chandigarh. The CBI investigation covers allegations of illegal payments for transfers, favourable policy decisions, government contracts, licensing approvals and property-related matters.
The Punjab government subsequently challenged the High Court's directions before the Supreme Court. On October 12, a bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and Prasanna B. Varale declined to stay the CBI FIR but ordered that no coercive action be taken against the accused in the meantime. The court also directed the Punjab government to cooperate with the investigation. The reported registration of separate money laundering proceedings raises a further legal question over the scope of the interim protection granted by the Supreme Court, which would depend on the precise wording of the judicial order and the nature of the ED case. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has accused the BJP-led central government of using investigative agencies to target his administration ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
"Now, the ED and CBI will be misused in Punjab to defame the Punjab government and me," Mann said following the CBI searches earlier this month. Rejecting the corruption allegations, Mann maintained that his government had introduced transparent administrative systems and was prepared to cooperate with lawful investigations. The allegations against Ghuman and the other accused remain under investigation, and no finding of criminal guilt has been established. The reported ED case could bring financial transactions and the alleged proceeds of corruption under additional scrutiny, alongside the continuing CBI investigation.
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