New Delhi, 09 October (H.S.):

Supreme Court Justice Sheel Nagu has recused himself from hearing a petition challenging the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe against Rajbir Singh Ghuman, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Justice Nagu had previously heard several cases involving the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) during his tenure as Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

On October 8, when a Bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu began hearing the matter, Justice Datta noted that the case files had reached Justice Nagu late, leaving him insufficient time to study them. Consequently, the hearing was adjourned until October 9.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing on behalf of the Punjab government, had requested the Supreme Court to issue an interim order restraining the CBI from taking any hasty or coercive action until the matter was heard. However, the Supreme Court declined to grant any such interim relief at that stage.

The Punjab government has challenged an October 5 order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court directing the CBI to investigate an alleged corruption case involving transfers and postings, as well as tender-related irregularities linked to the Chief Minister’s Office. The investigation was ordered on the basis of inputs provided by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The High Court had directed the investigating agency to submit a status report within two months.

Following the High Court’s order, the CBI has already registered a First Information Report (FIR) in the case and conducted raids at several locations across Punjab and Chandigarh.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar