The Punjab government has filed an SLP in the Supreme Court against the P&H High Court's order directing a CBI probe into corruption allegations linked to CM Bhagwant Mann's OSD.
Centre-State Tussle Over CBI Jurisdiction Rekindled
The Punjab government has moved the Supreme Court, filing a Special Leave Petition (SLP) challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s order directing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register a criminal case probing corruption allegations connected to the Office of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The SLP was filed at around 1:42 am on Tuesday [State of Punjab v Nikhil Saraf].
The High Court had invoked its extraordinary writ jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution to mandate a CBI investigation, following allegations of financial irregularities involving the Chief Minister's Office Superintendent (OSD). The matter arose from a public interest litigation petition filed by advocate Nikhil Saraf, who alleged misuse of public funds and procedural bypass in administrative appointments.
The state government's challenge hinges on assertions of federal autonomy and executive privilege. It argues that the High Court’s direction infringes on the state’s constitutional domain, especially given the absence of prior state consent for CBI jurisdiction under Section 6 of the DSPE Act, 1946. The case may set important precedents concerning judicial intervention in state executive matters and the invocation of CBI probe without state concurrence.
Citations
- State of Punjab v Nikhil Saraf
