The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over the investigation into allegations of corruption involving senior officers and other public figures in Punjab.
The allegations include demands for money in exchange for transfers, favourable government policies, tenders, permissions and licences. The petition also alleged that an organised extortion racket was operating by falsely implicating people.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor said that a fair and transparent investigation was required. The Court also expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which the Punjab Police had handled the matter so far.
The Bench directed the CBI to register an FIR and begin the investigation immediately.
The Court has also sought a report on the outcome of the investigation within two months. It directed the Punjab Government and Punjab Police to provide all necessary assistance to the CBI for conducting the probe.
The case was brought before the High Court through a petition filed by practising lawyer Nikhil Saraf. According to the petitioner, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had sent communications to the Punjab Government under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002, regarding the allegations.
The petitioner claimed that despite the information shared by the ED and other allegations of corruption in high public office, no action had been taken by the state authorities.
The ED had earlier also raised the issue before the High Court. Appearing for the agency, senior advocate and Additional Solicitor-General Satya Pal Jain alleged that the ED's Jalandhar zone had sent a letter to the Punjab DGP, but the state government had not acted on it.
The petition also referred to alleged manipulation of government tenders, permissions and licences. It claimed that certain builders, land developers and other entrepreneurs were allegedly being favoured in return for money.
Another allegation concerned an institutionalised extortion racket, in which people were allegedly threatened or falsely implicated in cases.
The petitioner further stated that part of the complaint and related allegations had been circulated on social media and were available with journalists and politicians. However, these remain allegations raised in the petition and have not been established by a court or through an investigation.
With Monday's order, the High Court has now transferred the probe from the Punjab Police to the CBI. The central agency is required to register an FIR and investigate the allegations.
The Court's direction for a report within two months means that the CBI will have to place the progress or outcome of its investigation before the High Court within the stipulated period.
The order comes after the High Court considered the allegations, the ED's communication to the state authorities and the action taken by the Punjab Police. The Bench said the circumstances warranted an investigation by an independent agency to ensure that the process was fair and transparent.