NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday restrained the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) from taking any coercive steps, including arrests, in connection with their ongoing probe into alleged corruption linked to Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s office, while making it clear that the investigation itself would not be halted.
A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale issued notices to the two central agencies and advocate Nikhil Saraf, whose petition before the Punjab and Haryana High Court led to the CBI being directed to register a criminal case into the allegations. The court ordered that no coercive steps be taken until the next hearing.
The interim protection came on a plea by the Punjab government challenging the high court’s October 5 order directing the CBI to register a first information report (FIR) and investigate allegations of corruption involving the chief minister’s office. The state government argued that the high court ordered a CBI probe without sufficient material to establish a cognisable offence and raised concerns over the federal structure.
“This is coming up before the court for the first time,” senior advocates Vikas Singh and Sidharth Luthra, appearing for the state government, told the bench. “We will issue notice but will not stay the investigation. We will, however, stay any coercive action,” replied the bench.
Senior advocate DS Naidu, appearing for Saraf, also sought protection for his client, alleging that the state government was harassing him for acting as a whistleblower and attempting to demolish his property.
The bench issued notice and directed: “No coercive steps be taken till the next date of hearing.”
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