Chandigarh: The political battle between the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab and the Enforcement Directorate has intensified, with the state police seeking documents and evidence linked to allegations against AAP leaders.
Punjab Police wrote to the ED on August 28, asking the agency to provide the documents and supporting material on the basis of which allegations had been made against members of the ruling party. AAP leaders have now questioned why the requested material has not been provided.
The issue has emerged from an ED investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act following searches conducted in May in connection with a Change of Land Use case.
AAP has accused the central agency of attempting to create a negative perception of the Bhagwant Mann government and politically target its leaders. The party has argued that if the ED has documentary evidence supporting its allegations, the material should be shared with the investigating authorities.
AAP Punjab chief spokesperson and MLA Kuldeep Dhaliwal said the party would not be intimidated by the prospect of arrests or further investigative action. He alleged that central agencies were being used against political opponents and compared the situation with cases involving AAP leaders in Delhi.
Punjab Cabinet Minister Aman Arora has also questioned the ED’s approach. He said the state police had already informed the agency that the material supplied to them was incomplete and unclear.
According to Arora, the ED had been asked to provide the necessary documents and information by September 1, but no representative of the central agency had appeared before Punjab Police by then.
The dispute has transformed the investigation into a wider Centre-state political confrontation. AAP is framing the matter as an issue of transparency and institutional procedure, while the opposition is expected to focus on the allegations being investigated and demand accountability from the Punjab government.
With the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections approaching, the controversy could assume greater political significance. Any further ED action against AAP leaders is likely to intensify allegations of political vendetta from the ruling party, while the opposition could use the proceedings to put additional pressure on the Mann government.
The August 28 police letter and the exchange that followed have therefore become central to the growing political confrontation between Punjab’s AAP government and the central investigative agency.
