Chandigarh: The Punjab government has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, challenging the ongoing Enforcement Directorate searches at the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) and other locations in the state, prompting the court to appoint a warrant officer to monitor the operations.
The matter came up for an urgent hearing before Justice Sanjay Vashisth late Wednesday night, with the proceedings continuing till early hours. The high court appointed a senior-rank warrant officer and authorised him to visit the search locations at any time.
He has been directed to submit a status report to the court by 2 p.m Thursday.
The court was informed during the hearing that ED search and seizure operations were underway and that some senior government functionaries had allegedly been detained. The state also submitted that the ongoing action had brought government functioning to a standstill.
The court directed the Chandigarh Director General of Police and the Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police to make necessary security arrangements for the warrant officer.
The ED searches, being carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, began at the GMADA headquarters in Mohali, near Tuesday and were extended to several other locations in Punjab, Chandigarh, Panchkula and Delhi.
The agency is probing alleged irregularities in land acquisition, changes in land use and financial concessions extended to private real estate entities.
The ED has alleged that the suspected undue gains to private entities and corresponding loss to the exchequer could exceed Rs 100 crore. The searches have also covered premises linked to Tirupati Infraprojects Pvt Ltd and associated companies.
The agency has been examining records relating to land acquired by GMADA and decisions concerning changes in land use and dues payable to the authority. The ED action has triggered a political confrontation between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP-led Centre.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused the Central government of using investigative agencies to put pressure on Punjab officials, allegations which have not been established by the court.
The AAP Wednesday said the BJP has lost political ground in Punjab, and is now resorting to Central agencies to “intimidate Punjabis” and AAP leaders. It said the Centre is trying to disrupt GMADA’s functioning and create hurdles for the Bhagwant Mann government’s welfare schemes, including the Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna.
Central agencies cannot manufacture political support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP in Punjab, the party said.
In a statement, the AAP said Arvind Kejriwal’s exposure of the Election Commission’s functioning had further rattled the Modi government, which was now resorting to pressure tactics against Punjabis.
It said the BJP and the Centre were simultaneously trying to create hurdles in the functioning of GMADA and obstruct the government’s welfare initiatives. “The BJP is unable to stop the welfare schemes through political means, so attempts are now being made to create administrative pressure and obstacles. The people of Punjab will not allow these tactics to succeed,” the AAP said.
The party said the BJP could deploy as many agencies as it wanted, but neither raids nor intimidation could weaken the resolve of Punjabis. “AAP will stand with Punjab and fight every attempt to obstruct the functioning of the Bhagwant Mann government, stop its welfare schemes or suppress the voice of the people,” the party added.
