Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia on Thursday accused the BJP-led Central government of using Enforcement Directorate (ED) searches in Punjab to put political pressure on the state ahead of the Assembly elections.
Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh along with AAP Punjab chief spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Sisodia alleged that the BJP had turned to central agencies after failing to make political gains through its campaign in Punjab. He claimed that traders, AAP workers and leaders, as well as Punjab government officials, were being targeted through ED searches.
The remarks came as the ED continued search and survey operations in Punjab as part of an investigation involving the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) and entities linked to an alleged money-laundering case. The agency has said the searches were conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and covered multiple locations in Punjab, Chandigarh and neighbouring areas.
Sisodia alleged that ED officials were repeatedly telling people covered by the searches that they had received “orders from above”. He also claimed that the agency had not recovered money or documents establishing corruption from the locations referred to by him.
Sisodia alleges political pressure through ED searches
Sisodia alleged that the BJP had first attempted to build political support in Punjab through its campaign but subsequently relied on the ED after, in his assessment, the campaign did not attract sufficient public response.
{{/usCountry}}Sisodia alleged that the BJP had first attempted to build political support in Punjab through its campaign but subsequently relied on the ED after, in his assessment, the campaign did not attract sufficient public response.
{{/usCountry}}He claimed that around 4,000 ED personnel had been deployed across Punjab, alleging that the agency was being used to create pressure among traders, AAP workers, leaders and government officials.
According to Sisodia, ED teams had conducted searches at the homes of people associated with the AAP and at residences of government officials. He alleged that those being searched were not always told the specific case or alleged irregularity being investigated.
He also referred to the search operation at the GMADA headquarters in Mohali. The ED operation there lasted nearly 50 hours and concluded on Thursday. The agency has said the search was connected to its money-laundering investigation and involved the collection and examination of documents and electronic material.
Sisodia criticised the searches and alleged that the action was intended to generate political pressure and publicity. He said the AAP government in Punjab was functioning according to what he described as Arvind Kejriwal’s principle of “kattar imaandari”, or staunch honesty.
The allegations come amid a wider political confrontation between the AAP government in Punjab and the BJP-led Centre over the ED's ongoing searches. The two sides have offered sharply different interpretations of the agency's actions, with AAP alleging political pressure and the ED maintaining that its operations are part of an investigation into suspected financial irregularities.