Chandigarh: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a money laundering case against Rajbir Singh Ghuman, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and his alleged associates in connection with suspected corruption involving government postings, administrative decisions and other official matters.
The case has been registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on the basis of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case concerning allegations that public servants and private individuals influenced the postings of IAS and IPS officers in exchange for financial benefits.
The ED’s action follows a Supreme Court order directing the CBI not to take coercive action against the accused for the time being. The court did not stay the CBI’s First Information Report (FIR) or halt the investigation. The Punjab government has been directed to cooperate with the probe.
What Are the Allegations?
The CBI registered its case following an October 5 direction from the Punjab and Haryana High Court to investigate allegations of corruption involving individuals linked to the Chief Minister’s Office.
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According to the CBI, the allegations concern the purported manipulation of official postings, departmental proceedings, policy formulation and administrative approvals in return for monetary or other benefits.
The investigation also covers alleged interference in:
- IAS and IPS officer transfers and postings.
- Government tender conditions and administrative approvals.
- Licensing matters and policy-related decisions.
- Land-use conversion approvals and property disputes.
- Revenue and other land-related matters.
- Access to confidential government documents before their official release.
The allegations are under investigation and have not been established in court.
Six People Named in the CBI Case
The CBI’s FIR names six individuals, including public servants and private associates. They are:
- Rajbir Singh Ghuman — Officer on Special Duty to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
- Nitin Gohal.
- Jitin Gohal, also known as Raja.
- Romi Raja Mahajan.
- Bir Devinder.
- R. S. Nagra.
The agency has also referred to unidentified public servants and private individuals in the case.
The CBI is investigating whether the named individuals influenced government decisions and officer postings in exchange for financial benefits. The registration of an FIR does not establish guilt.
Supreme Court Allows Investigation to Continue
The Supreme Court on October 12 declined to stay the CBI FIR but directed the agency not to take coercive action against the accused at this stage.
The order came after the Punjab government challenged the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s direction to register the case and conduct a CBI investigation.
The Supreme Court issued notices to the relevant authorities and directed the state government to cooperate with the investigation. The order provides interim protection against coercive action by the CBI; it does not amount to a finding on the merits of the allegations or terminate the investigation.
ED’s Separate Money Laundering Investigation
The ED’s case is separate from the CBI’s corruption investigation, although it is linked to the same allegations concerning alleged financial benefits and the exercise of influence over government decisions.
The agency had previously conducted searches in May as part of an existing money laundering investigation involving associates allegedly connected to the matter. Information gathered during that investigation contributed to the subsequent allegations concerning Ghuman and others.
With the new case registered under the PMLA, the ED can investigate the alleged proceeds of crime in accordance with the law. Any searches, summons or provisional attachment of assets would be subject to the applicable legal requirements.
The CBI and ED investigations remain ongoing, and the allegations against Ghuman and the other named individuals remain allegations unless established through legal proceedings.
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