SC Justice Sheel Nagu recuses from Punjab plea against CBI probe

New Delhi: Supreme Court Justice Sheel Nagu on Friday recused himself from hearing the Punjab government's appeal challenging a high court order directing a CBI probe into alleged corruption linked to chief minister Bhagwant Mann's office, prompting Justice Dipankar Datta to remark, "We are in very difficult times. One doesn't know where the attack will come from."

A division bench of justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu was scheduled to hear the state's plea challenging the Punjab and Haryana HC's October 5 order directing the CBI to register a criminal case and investigate allegations of corruption involving individuals linked to the CM's office.

Justice Datta indicated that the matter could not be heard by Justice Nagu, who had dealt with cases involving the Punjab government during his tenure as Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana HC before his elevation to the SC.


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Counsel for the Punjab government submitted that the state was not relying on judgements dealt with by Justice Nagu in the earlier proceedings. Responding to the submission, Justice Datta said, "No, no. We are in very difficult times... One doesn't know from where the attack will come. There are 17 other benches." The bench indicated that the matter would be placed before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant for assignment to another bench.

The recusal came a day after the SC deferred the hearing to Friday to enable Justice Nagu to examine the case papers. The Punjab government approached the apex court challenging the high court's direction for an independent investigation into allegations flagged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The HC had directed the CBI to register a case and submit its report within two months.

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The allegations concern a purported network involving the CM's Officer on Special Duty, Rajbir Singh Ghuman, and others, who allegedly facilitated corruption through transfers, postings, tenders and favourable policy decisions.