Ahead of a scheduled hearing on September 3, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a detailed reply before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, placing on record a series of letters, reports, reminders and supporting documents sent to Punjab authorities over alleged corruption in government transfers, postings and other dealings.
According to the ED's main allegations, Rajbir Singh Ghuman, an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, was allegedly leading the racket involving transfers and postings of officials, including IAS and IPS officers.
The ED's reply comes after the court, on August 27, directed its counsel to place on record the communications allegedly sent to the Punjab Director General of Police (DGP). The direction came while hearing a petition filed by a advocate Nikhil Saraf alleging the involvement of senior state officers in various alleged scams, including "cash for transfers", "cash for getting favourable policies", "cash for tenders" and other illegal activities.
In its latest filing, the ED has placed seven communications/documents on record, providing a chronology of its correspondence with the Punjab authorities.
The agency's first communication was a July 30 letter issued under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, addressed to the concerned authority along with supporting documents. An ED report dated July 31 was subsequently prepared in relation to the communication. The agency then issued another letter on August 7, sent through Speed Post, followed by a reminder email on the same date seeking necessary action and follow-up. The ED has also placed the postal tracking report on record, showing delivery of its August 7 communication on August 17.
The ED's communications relate to allegations of an organised "racket of transfers and postings" in Punjab. In an earlier communication to the Punjab Police, the agency had sought registration of an FIR against private individual Nitin Gohal and others, alleging that they had used their influence to interfere with government functioning.
The latest developments began after Punjab Police responded to the ED. A letter dated August 28 from the AIG (Investigation), Punjab Bureau of Investigation, was received by the ED by email on August 29 and by hand on August 30. The police sought further information, which the ED noted is generally required for investigation after registration of an FIR.
However, the ED's reply specifically states that no intimation regarding registration of an FIR had been given to it.
The agency subsequently sent another communication dated August 31, which it says was submitted through email and in person on September 1 to the AIG (Investigation), Punjab Bureau of Investigation. Along with the communication, ED supplied legible documents, a Section 63 certificate, the statement of Nitin Gohal recorded under the PMLA, and other relevant records sought by Punjab Police.
The ED has now requested the High Court to take its letters, reminders and information emails on record and issue necessary directions for a "free, fair and impartial investigation" in the matter.
The detailed filing comes just two days before the September 3 hearing and puts before the court the documentary trail of the ED's communications with Punjab authorities over the alleged racket.
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