Punjab Government Challenges ED Raids in High Court Amid Political Tensions
The Punjab government has approached the High Court against ongoing ED raids, claiming disruptions to governance and political pressure.
Chandigarh, September 24 (Daily Kiran) : The Punjab government has taken legal action against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for its ongoing raids in the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) and other locations across the state. This move comes as the government seeks relief from what it describes as disruptive enforcement actions. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has appointed a warrant officer to oversee these operations.
The case was brought before Justice Sanjay Vashisht for urgent hearing late Wednesday night, with proceedings continuing into Thursday morning. The court authorized a senior warrant officer to visit the targeted locations at any time and mandated that a status report be submitted by 2 PM on Thursday.
During the hearing, it was revealed that the ED’s search and seizure operations had reportedly led to the detention of several senior government officials. The state government argued that these actions had severely hampered its functioning. The court instructed the Director General of Police in Chandigarh and the Senior Superintendent of Police in Mohali to ensure necessary security arrangements for the warrant officer.
The ED’s raids, conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, began on Tuesday at the GMADA headquarters in Mohali and have since expanded to various locations in Punjab, Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Delhi. The agency is investigating alleged irregularities related to land acquisition, changes in land use, and financial concessions granted to private real estate firms.
According to the ED, the alleged improper benefits to private companies could amount to over ₹100 crore in losses to the state treasury. The raids also targeted locations associated with Tirupati Infra Projects Private Limited and its affiliates.
The agency is scrutinizing records connected to land acquired by GMADA, changes in land use, and outstanding dues owed to the authority. The ED’s actions have intensified the political clash between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP-led central government.
AAP has accused the central government of using investigative agencies to exert pressure on Punjab officials. However, the court has not confirmed these allegations. On Wednesday, AAP stated that the BJP had lost its political footing in Punjab and was now resorting to intimidation tactics against “Punjabis” and AAP leaders.
The party claims that the central government is attempting to obstruct GMADA’s operations and interfere with welfare schemes initiated by the Bhagwant Mann government, such as the ‘Mavā-Dhiyān Satkār Yojana.’ AAP argues that central agencies cannot garner political support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP in Punjab.
In a statement, AAP noted that revelations made by Arvind Kejriwal regarding the Election Commission have further unsettled the Modi government, prompting it to resort to coercive measures against the people of Punjab.
The party asserted that the BJP and the central government are colluding to disrupt GMADA’s operations and hinder the government’s welfare initiatives. AAP emphasized, “The BJP has failed to halt welfare schemes through political means, and now they are attempting to create administrative pressure and obstacles. The people of Punjab will not allow these tactics to succeed.”
AAP declared, “No matter how many agencies the BJP deploys, neither raids nor intimidation can diminish the resolve of the people of Punjab.” The party reaffirmed its commitment to stand by the people of Punjab and to combat every effort to undermine the Bhagwant Mann government or silence the voices of the populace.
