Supreme Court bars coercive steps against Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann's aide in corruption case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) not to take any coercive steps in a corruption case against Rajbir Singh Ghuman, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, while refusing to stay the FIR registered in the matter.

A division bench comprising Justices M M Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale issued notice on the Punjab government's petition challenging a Punjab and Haryana High Court order directing the CBI to register a case and investigate allegations of corruption involving Ghuman and others.

The bench made it clear that its interim protection did not halt the investigation. "We are not staying the FIR. We are saying no coercive steps may be taken," the bench observed, directing the petitioner to cooperate with the investigation. The SC's order came after the Punjab government challenged the High Court's October 5 direction for a CBI probe into allegations of corruption involving officials linked to the Chief Minister's Office. The High Court had directed the agency to register a criminal case and submit a status report within two months. The allegations stemmed from communications sent by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to the Punjab Police seeking an investigation into suspected corruption and influence-peddling involving Ghuman and his alleged associates.