New Delhi:
A team of Delhi Police and Election Commission officials entered Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s city residence Thursday evening to investigate “a complaint of money distribution”.
This comes less than a week before the Delhi Assembly election.
Sources said the cops and poll officers – held outside Kapurthala House, near Connaught Place in central Delhi for nearly 90 minutes before being allowed inside – were video-recording their search.
Earlier, visuals from outside the building showed uniformed security personnel, with assault rifles, outside the main gate. Shortly afterwards the Returning Officer for the New Delhi constituency, OP Pandey, said a complaint had been received – on its cVIGIL mobile app – about money distribution.
“We have to dispose of the complaint within 100 minutes. Our team had come (but) was not allowed to enter. I have come to request them to let us enter… with a cameraperson,” he said.
#WATCH | Delhi | A team of Delhi Police officials are present outside Kapurthala House, where a team of Delhi election officials are present following a complaint about cash distribution was received on cVIGIL app
Delhi Police says, “On a complaint by RO (Returning Officer) and… pic.twitter.com/kuOxmqHNRN
— ANI (@ANI) January 30, 2025
Responding on X, Mr Mann accused the Delhi Police and Election Commission of “defaming Punjabis at the behest of the BJP”. “Today, an Election Commission team with Delhi Police came to raid my house… Kapurthala House in Delhi. BJP people are openly distributing money in Delhi, but Delhi Police and Election Commission are not seeing anything. No action is being taken on all this.”
The exact nature of the complaint is not known at this time, but there are reports that indicate it stems from last night’s seizure of a car parked outside Punjab Bhavan on Copernicus Marg.
Sources told NDTV around Rs 8 lakh in cash, liquor, and AAP pamphlets were found in the car, which also had a ‘Government of Punjab’ sticker on it. The Punjab government said the car is not theirs.
READ | ‘Punjab Sarkar’ Car With Cash, Liquor Seized, State Responds
It was pointed out the number plate of the seized vehicle matched a Ford Eco Sport used by the state, but the vehicle in police custody now is a Hyundai Creta. Delhi Police have registered a case.
Nevertheless, the cops’ presence prompted the AAP to push back. Chief Minister Atishi also claimed an imminent “raid” of Mr Mann’s home by the cops and, in response to the ‘cash-for-votes’ rumours, also alleged numerous similar violations by the BJP had been ignored by the Election Commission.
दिल्ली पुलिस @BhagwantMann जी के दिल्ली के घर पर रेड करने पहुँच गई है।
भाजपा वाले दिन दहाड़े पैसे, जूते, चद्दर बांट रहे हैं- वो नहीं दिखता। बल्कि एक चुने हुए मुख्यमंत्री के निवास पर रेड करने पहुँच जाते हैं।
वाह री भाजपा! दिल्ली वाले 5 तारीख़ को जवाब देंगे!
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) January 30, 2025
She referred to a letter, sent to the poll body this morning, claiming distribution of money and liquor, in large quantities, in her constituency, i.e., Kalkaji. She also claimed a resident had been “threatened with dire consequences (by) people carrying guns… and seen roaming with a Delhi Police constable”.
“BJP people distribute money, shoes… in broad daylight. That is not visible. Instead, they raid the residence of an elected Chief Minister,” she raged online after cops turned up at Mr Mann’s home.”
“Wow BJP! Delhi will give its answer on the 5th.”
However, sources in the Commission told news agency ANI no raid has been conducted, so far, noting officials there had not even entered the premises as they had been denied permission and did not have authorisation to overrule that denial. The team is awaiting the necessary permission, sources said.
The national capital’s 70 Assembly seats vote in a single phase on February 5.
The results will be declared three days later. The AAP is bidding for a hat-trick of wins after dominant shows in the 2015 and 2020 polls, when they swept 67 and 62 seats, respectively.
READ | Poll Panel Raps Kejriwal In “Yamuna Poisoned” Row, He Hits Back
This time, though, a much closer contest is expected, with the ruling party and the opposition BJP squabbling over a number of issues, including allegations by the former that the latter’s government in neighbouring Haryana had “poisoned” Yamuna River water it sends to Delhi.
With input from agencies
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