Ahead of polls, police at Punjab CM Mann's residence in Delhi; AAP cries foul

The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday claimed that a team of the Election Commission officials along with Delhi Police reached Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's Kapurthala House residence in Delhi for search.

A police officer said a team of Delhi Police reached the Kapurthala House residence in connection with a complaint lodged by the Returning Officer.

“It is being done on a complaint by the Returning Officer and Flying Squad Team (FST). The police presence is on requisition and requirement for safety of FST,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla told The Tribune.

Meanwhile, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann lashed out at the Election Commission and Delhi Police for reaching his residence here for a “raid”, accusing them of trying to “defame” the Punjabis at the behest of the BJP.

In a post on X, Mann also alleged that the EC was not seeing “open distribution” of money by the BJP in the run-up to the Delhi polls and was trying to raid his residence instead.

Earlier, Chief Minister Atishi on X said Delhi Police raided the residence of Bhagwant Mann.

“Delhi Police has reached to raid Bhagwant Mann ji's house in Delhi. BJP people are distributing money, shoes, sheets in broad daylight - that is not visible. Instead they go to raid the residence of an elected Chief Minister. Wow BJP! People of Delhi will give their answer on the 5th,” she posted on X.

According to official sources, the returning officer had received a complaint regarding the alleged distribution of cash at Kapurthala House, which falls under New Delhi Assembly constituency.

The complaint was received via the cVIGIL app, a platform where any citizen can report the alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

“As per standard protocol, the Flying Squad Team (FST) of New Delhi constituency, stationed nearby was assigned the task by the control room to investigate the complaint and close it by taking appropriate action within the stipulated 100-minute time frame,” an official told The Tribune.

Upon receiving the complaint, the FST reached the location of the alleged violation at Kapurthala House. However, the team is not being permitted by the security personnel to enter the premises to verify the complaint.

The development comes a day after a private vehicle bearing the “Punjab government” sticker and registration number of the state was impounded by Delhi Police.

Delhi Police have registered a case after the vehicle parked near the Punjab Bhawan was found loaded with liquor, cash and election publicity material of the AAP.

The Aam Aadmi Party has denied the charge and accused the BJP of "dirty politics" to defame it and its government in Punjab.