CHANDIGARH — The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) faces a legal challenge in the Punjab and Haryana High Court following a petition filed by Rajbir Singh Ghuman, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, seeking to halt an ongoing corruption investigation.
Ghuman’s plea challenges the agency’s recent raid at his Sangrur residence, asserting that the investigation violates mandatory statutory protections granted to public officials.
Core grounds of the legal challenge include:
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Section 17A Statutory Violation: The petition argues that under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the CBI cannot legally investigate a public servant for official actions without prior approval from the government, despite the FIR being registered following a high court order.
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Contested Search Operations: The filing alleges that the search at Ghuman’s Gharachon village residence was carried out overnight between October 6 and 7 without the presence of the petitioner or his family, while relying on a single independent witness.
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Prayer for Quashing: Relying on Supreme Court jurisprudence regarding statutory sanctions, the petitioner has requested the High Court to quash the CBI investigation or stay all subsequent proceedings until formal authorization is granted.
