Punjab Police-ED Standoff: AAP Demands Evidence, Alleges Political Targeting
Punjab Police's August 28 letter to the ED seeking evidence in a land case has triggered a political face-off, with AAP accusing the central agency of targeting its leaders.
The political friction between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has escalated after the state police formally requested the central agency to share evidence underpinning allegations against party leaders.
Punjab Police sent a letter to the ED on August 28, asking for the documents and material on which the agency's claims are based. According to AAP leaders, the ED has neither provided the requested files nor sent an officer to the state police, despite a deadline of September 1 being set for the response.
The dispute traces back to an ED investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, initiated after searches in May linked to a Change of Land Use case. The state police's request for the underlying evidence has now turned the matter into a public institutional standoff.
Addressing a press conference in Amritsar, AAP Punjab chief spokesperson Kuldeep Dhaliwal accused the ED of politically targeting the party and attempting to create a negative narrative around Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's administration. He drew parallels with what he described as similar treatment of AAP leaders in Delhi, where cases and arrests were used as tools of pressure.
Dhaliwal argued that if the ED possesses documentary proof, it should share the material with state investigating authorities rather than making allegations in public. He asserted that AAP would not retreat under pressure, claiming the party has grown into a national political force.
Punjab Cabinet Minister Aman Arora echoed these remarks, alleging that the ED's repeated letters seeking an FIR registration are part of an effort to defame the state government. He maintained that the documents provided by the agency so far have been incomplete and unclear.
The confrontation is set against the backdrop of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. AAP is likely to frame the issue as a Centre-versus-Punjab battle, using the August 28 letter to press its demand for transparency. The opposition, in turn, is expected to keep the focus on the allegations against the ruling party, making the ED probe a recurring political flashpoint.