Key Highlights
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Inciting Incident: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was stopped by Customs officials at Delhi Airport upon returning from Paris on Tuesday night.
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The Fine: A penalty of ₹50,000 was levied by the Customs Duty Department for bringing in undeclared luxury items.
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Political Fallout: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused the Central Government of political targeting, while opposition leaders have hit back over statutory compliance.
The Customs Interception
According to sources, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his entourage were exiting through the airport’s Green Channel—reserved for passengers with no dutiable goods—when Customs officials intercepted his luggage for screening. Upon inspection, officers discovered undeclared luxury items in the baggage, prompting the assessment and immediate levying of a ₹50,000 customs duty fine.
Mann was returning from an official visit to Paris, France, aimed at promoting Punjab’s agricultural and food-processing products in international markets and exploring bilateral trade opportunities.
AAP Alleges Political Targeting
The incident immediately sparked sharp reactions from AAP leaders, who labeled the airport interception a deliberate act of humiliation.
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Baltej Pannu (AAP Punjab Media In-Charge): Alleged that the Chief Minister was detained for over three hours at night under pressure from higher authorities. He noted that Mann’s Paris trip went ahead following an order from the Punjab and Haryana High Court after initial delays over central clearance.
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Saurabh Bharadwaj (AAP Leader): Criticized the central government’s stance, drawing parallels to arrogance:
“Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann went to Paris to launch Punjab’s products after challenging the Centre’s political clearance delay. This arrogance of the Centre must end.”
Opposition Reaction
Opposition parties in Punjab were quick to question the administration. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) General Secretary Bikram Singh Majithia claimed that the Chief Minister and his wife, Gurpreet Kaur, were stopped for failing to comply with statutory import laws and regulations, calling for accountability over the incident.
