The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has sparked a political controversy by alleging that the Delhi Police attempted to raid Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s official residence, Kapurthala House, in Delhi. The claim, made on Thursday, has intensified the ongoing political battle between AAP and the BJP-led central government, with Delhi Police strongly refuting the accusation and calling it baseless.
AAP’s Allegation: Political Vendetta at Play
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express her outrage, claiming that law enforcement agencies were being misused to target opposition leaders while turning a blind eye to BJP’s alleged electoral malpractices.
“Delhi Police has reached to raid Bhagwant Mann’s house in Delhi. BJP people are openly distributing money, shoes, and sheets in broad daylight—yet, that goes unnoticed. Instead, they choose to raid the residence of an elected Chief Minister,” Atishi wrote.
She further accused the BJP of using such tactics to intimidate AAP leaders ahead of the crucial Delhi Assembly elections scheduled for February 5. Atishi asserted that despite these challenges, AAP would not back down and that the people of Delhi would respond through their votes.
In a follow-up statement, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned why the Delhi Police had not taken similar action against BJP leaders, who, according to him, were openly violating election laws. He alleged that AAP was being selectively targeted because the party remains a formidable challenge to the BJP in Delhi and Punjab.
Delhi Police Responds: No Raid Conducted
The Delhi Police swiftly responded to the allegations, categorically denying that any raid had taken place at Bhagwant Mann’s residence. Instead, a senior officer clarified that a team led by the Returning Officer (DM, New Delhi) had visited Kapurthala House to investigate a complaint received via the C-Vigil portal.
The C-Vigil portal is an election watchdog platform that allows citizens to report violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), which is enforced by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
“We were present only to assist the DM, New Delhi, who is also the Returning Officer for the area. The visit was in response to a complaint, and there was no raid conducted by the Delhi Police,” the official said in a statement to India Today TV.
Returning Officer’s Explanation: Complaint About Cash Distribution
Further clarifying the situation, the DM, New Delhi, released a statement saying that a team of polling officials and police officers had arrived at Kapurthala House after receiving a complaint about the alleged distribution of cash at the premises. However, they were denied entry by security personnel.
“A complaint was received regarding the distribution of cash at Kapurthala House. A team of officials and Delhi Police visited the site for verification. However, our team was not permitted entry by the security personnel present there,” the Returning Officer stated.
BJP Reacts: AAP Playing the Victim Card
The BJP, on the other hand, dismissed AAP’s allegations as a desperate attempt to garner sympathy ahead of elections. BJP leader Manoj Tiwari stated that AAP was deliberately spreading false narratives to divert attention from the various corruption charges against its leaders.
“The AAP government is nervous ahead of the elections and is trying to mislead the public. There was no raid. The visit was only to check election violations. Why is AAP afraid of an investigation?” Tiwari said in a statement.
BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia further attacked AAP, saying that the party had lost moral ground due to the liquor policy scam and was now fabricating stories to portray itself as a victim.
Ongoing Political Firestorm Ahead of Elections
The timing of the incident has raised political tensions as it comes just days before the Delhi Assembly elections scheduled for February 5. With Bhagwant Mann actively campaigning for AAP, the party has alleged that this is part of a larger strategy by the BJP to intimidate opposition leaders.
This political storm comes in the backdrop of recent raids, arrests, and investigations involving AAP’s top leaders, including former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who was arrested in connection with the liquor policy case. AAP has consistently claimed that such actions are designed to weaken the party before elections.
With Delhi Assembly elections on February 5 and results to be announced on February 8, the controversy surrounding the alleged raid and AAP’s claims of political targeting are expected to become a key electoral issue, further intensifying the BJP-AAP rivalry in the national capital.
Whether this incident influences voter sentiment or not, it is evident that the battle for Delhi has escalated into a high-stakes political showdown, with both parties using this incident to bolster their narratives ahead of the elections.
