High Court to pronounce verdict Monday in PIL alleging corruption in Punjab governmentਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਭ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਟਾਚਾਰ ਦੇ ਦੋਸ਼ਾਂ ਵਾਲੀ ਪਟੀਸ਼ਨ ’ਤੇ ਹਾਈ ਕੋਰਟ ਸੋਮਵਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਸੁਣਾਏਗਾ ਫੈਸਲਾ

The case before the court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court will pronounce its verdict on Monday on a public interest petition alleging that senior officers of the Punjab government were involved in a range of scams, including "cash for transfers; cash for getting favourable policies; cash for tenders, and such other illegal activities".

A Bench comprising Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor had earlier reserved its verdict after hearing lengthy arguments from all sides across no fewer than six hearings. Among the questions the court kept open was the maintainability of the petition itself.

ED vs the state: the courtroom exchange

The petitioner, practising lawyer Nikhil Saraf, told the court that the Enforcement Directorate had sent communications to Punjab under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, flagging the alleged corruption — yet no action was taken.

Appearing for the ED, senior advocate and Additional Solicitor-General Satya Pal Jain blamed the state government for inaction on a letter sent by the agency’s Jalandhar zone to the Punjab DGP. "The government did not perform its Rajdharam; instead, it indulged in Rajnitik Dharam," Jain contended, adding that the ED had asked Punjab Police to register a confidential FIR.

The state, represented by senior advocate Vikram Chaudhary, sought three weeks to place the final status report before the Bench. "We will communicate the final status on this within a period of three weeks. That’s the maximum that we are seeking. We are already in the process… We will nip the evil in the bud," Chaudhary said. He also questioned why the ED took 90 days to write to the Punjab DGP while questioning a 14-day delay by the state, and said the police were required to examine the material, the nature of the offences alleged and the applicability of the law in each case.

What the petition alleges

According to the petition, part of the complaint is available on social media with various journalists and politicians. The main allegations are against public persons, public servants and private individuals working in the Chief Minister’s Office — some of them, the petition claims, very close to the Chief Minister’s family.

Separate reporting on the proceedings notes that the High Court had earlier directed the ED to place before it the communications allegedly sent to the Punjab DGP, and that the agency again sought registration of an FIR against private persons and senior Punjab government officials in a communication dated August 31.

What happens next

The verdict on Monday will decide the fate of the PIL, including the contested question of maintainability. It is important to note that the allegations remain allegations: the filing of a petition, or the submission of material by an investigating agency, does not establish that corruption has been proved.

When will the High Court give its verdict?

The Punjab and Haryana High Court is expected to pronounce its verdict on Monday, October 5.

Who filed the PIL?

The petition was filed by practising lawyer Nikhil Saraf, who cited ED communications sent under Section 66(2) of the PMLA to the Punjab government.

What did the ED allege in court?

The ED contended that the Punjab government did not act on its Jalandhar zone’s letter to the state DGP and had asked the police to register a confidential FIR.