SC Denies Same-Day Hearing on Punjab's Plea Against CBI Probe OrderCBI ਜਾਂਚ ਦੇ ਹੁਕਮ ਨੂੰ ਚੁਣੌਤੀ ਵਾਲੀ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੀ ਪਟੀਸ਼ਨ ਦੀ ਤੁਰੰਤ ਸੁਣਵਾਈ ਤੋਂ ਸੁਪਰੀਮ ਕੋਰਟ ਦਾ ਇਨਕਾਰ

The Tuesday hearing in the Supreme Court

The Punjab government failed on Tuesday to get a same-day hearing from the Supreme Court on its challenge to the Punjab and Haryana High Court's order handing the ED-letters corruption case to the CBI. Senior advocate Vikas Singh mentioned the state's special leave petition before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, seeking urgent listing. The CJI turned down the request, saying the matter could be listed on Wednesday or Thursday.

The state's SLP — State of Punjab v Nikhil Saraf — was filed in the early hours of Tuesday through the Home Department and has been registered as Diary No. 62464/2026 on the apex court's official website, where it is currently listed as 'pending'.

When the Chief Justice asked how the state was hurt by the High Court's order, Singh said the allegations concerned transfers and postings of state officers and called the case politically motivated. 'During election time, these kind of cases are being trumped up,' he told the court, adding that Punjab was heading to polls and that the order hit the country's federal structure, which made the matter urgent.

The case the state is challenging

On Monday, a High Court bench of Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor directed the CBI to register a criminal case into allegations concerning Rajbir Singh Ghuman, Officer on Special Duty to Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, and to submit a status report within two months. The court also directed the state and the Punjab Police to assist the CBI in a fair investigation.

The directions came on a public interest litigation filed by advocate Nikhil Saraf, which said the Punjab Police had not acted on three letters from the Enforcement Directorate seeking a probe against Ghuman. The ED had flagged allegations involving one Nitin Gohal, who allegedly acted as an intermediary for people seeking favours from the Punjab government — including transfers, access to confidential government documents and help in getting arms licences.

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said on Monday that the state cabinet had cleared the move to the Supreme Court, pointing to a November 2020 order by the then Congress government withdrawing general consent for CBI investigations in Punjab, under which the agency needs prior consent to take up cases in the state.

Opposition reactions

The High Court order has drawn sharp political reactions. Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, questioning why the state government did not act on the ED's repeated communications. Punjab Congress president Pargat Singh welcomed the CBI probe but said it should be fair, impartial, transparent and time-bound, and that those who caused losses to the exchequer should be held accountable irrespective of position. Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal attacked the AAP government, asking why judicial intervention became necessary for a CBI investigation at all.

What happened in the Supreme Court on Tuesday?

CJI Surya Kant declined Punjab's plea for a same-day hearing on its special leave petition against the High Court-ordered CBI probe; the matter is expected to be listed on Wednesday or Thursday.

What is the ED-letters case?

The Enforcement Directorate wrote three letters to the Punjab DGP alleging that the Chief Minister's OSD and associates interfered in administrative transfers, tenders and arms licences. After the police did not register a case, the High Court handed the probe to the CBI on Monday.

Why does the Punjab government oppose the CBI probe?

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema pointed to the state's November 2020 withdrawal of general consent for CBI investigations in Punjab, under which the agency requires prior consent, and called the case politically motivated.