The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has written to the Punjab Director General of Police seeking registration of an FIR over an alleged racket to influence the transfer and posting of government officials in the state. The agency has accused private individual Nitin Gohal and others of allegedly using their influence to interfere in government functioning. In its communication to the Punjab DGP, the ED has urged action on the information and evidence shared in connection with the alleged network.
According to the ED, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Rajbir Singh Ghuman, was allegedly leading the network involved in influencing transfers and postings of government officials. The agency has alleged that the activities extended to administrative officers, including IAS and IPS officers. The ED has also referred to evidence concerning more than 20 officials in the matter.
According to sources, the ED, in a letter sent to the Punjab DGP on July 24, sought registration of a criminal case under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Ghuman, businessman Nitin Gohal and Bir Devinder. The agency has described Gohal and Bir Devinder as close associates of Ghuman.
The ED has alleged that Gohal acted as an intermediary between people interested in securing favourable postings or other government-related benefits and Ghuman. According to the agency, he was allegedly involved in influencing transfers and postings, leaking confidential government documents, facilitating arms licences and helping secure government approvals in return for alleged monetary and other benefits.
The Punjab Police is examining the information provided by the central agency before deciding on further action. Officials said the DGP has sought inputs from the state police’s Bureau of Investigation regarding the allegations and the legal options available. The government could seek additional documents and evidence from the ED, order a preliminary state police inquiry before registering an FIR, or proceed with registration of a case if the material indicates the commission of cognisable offences.
The allegations have also triggered a political controversy in Punjab. Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikramjit Singh Majithia sought an explanation from the state government over the ED communication and questioned whether the police would act on the agency’s information. He also demanded a CBI investigation, arguing that a detailed probe would establish the role of those allegedly involved in the network.
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema hit back at the allegations and accused the Shiromani Akali Dal of acting in support of the BJP and central investigating agencies. He questioned the political use of the ED communication and alleged that central agencies were being used to target political opponents. Cheema maintained that the communication was between the ED and the DGP and its contents were not publicly available for political interpretation.
Meanwhile, the ED has summoned Punjab-cadre IAS officer Kanwal Preet Brar for questioning on August 18 in a separate money-laundering investigation concerning alleged irregularities in modified Change of Land Use (CLU) permissions for the Suntec City project in Mohali. The agency wants to examine whether proper due diligence was carried out to verify landowners’ consent during the processing of CLU permissions in 2024.
According to the ED, forged consent letters, signatures and thumb impressions of landowners were allegedly used to obtain CLU approvals covering 30.5 acres belonging to 15 landowners. The agency has alleged that units in the project were sold even before registration and approvals from the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA), with sales exceeding ₹200 crore in the projects under investigation.
In July, the ED filed a prosecution complaint before the Special Court under the PMLA in Mohali against Ajay Sehgal, secretary of Indian Cooperative House Building Limited and promoter of Suntec City. The agency has accused him of allegedly laundering nearly ₹348 crore. Sehgal was arrested in May.
The two investigations have put the Punjab government’s administrative processes and certain officials under increased scrutiny. While the state government is examining the ED’s allegations in the transfer-posting matter, the agency’s parallel investigation into the Suntec City project is also continuing. The next course of action will depend on the assessment of the evidence and the decision of the Punjab Police on the ED’s request for registration of an FIR.
