Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 21: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has alleged that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was detained at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport for around three hours and fined Rs 50,000 after returning from Paris.
In a video statement released on X on Tuesday, AAP Punjab media in-charge Baltej Pannu claimed the incident took place on Sunday when Mann arrived in Delhi following his visit to the French capital.
According to Pannu, Mann was made to wait at the airport on the pretext that his luggage was still arriving and undergoing checks. He alleged that the chief minister was deliberately delayed and humiliated.
Pannu further claimed that after Mann was allowed to leave, airport officials approached him as he was about to depart in a vehicle and said they were under “tremendous pressure from above”. The officials subsequently issued a challan of Rs 50,000, he alleged.
The AAP leader accused the Centre and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of creating obstacles for Punjab and attempting to undermine the state’s interests. He also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the central government had repeatedly denied permission for Mann’s foreign visits.
Pannu said Mann had travelled to Paris following an order by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The chief minister’s visit was aimed at promoting Punjab’s products at SIAL Paris 2026, an international food trade exhibition, he added.
Questioning the alleged treatment of the chief minister, Pannu claimed that Mann had been working to attract investment and bring economic opportunities to Punjab. He also accused the Centre of withholding funds due to the state and creating difficulties for its farmers.
The AAP leader said permission for Mann’s foreign visits had been denied at least four times, alleging that the Centre was concerned about the potential benefits such visits could bring to Punjab.
Neither the BJP nor officials at Delhi airport had responded to the allegations at the time of reporting. The claims have not been independently verified.