The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has recently made a serious claim, alleging that a team of Delhi Police officers raided the official residence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, located at Kapurthala House in the capital.
However, the Delhi Police quickly dismissed the accusation, asserting that no such raid had occurred.
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, a senior leader of AAP, took to social media platform X to express her anger over the alleged action. According to Atishi, Delhi Police had targeted an elected Chief Minister’s residence, a move she labelled as unfair.
She also pointed out that despite BJP members allegedly distributing money, shoes, and blankets in broad daylight, such activities went unnoticed by the authorities. Atishi questioned why the focus was on the residence of Bhagwant Mann while the BJP’s alleged malpractices were ignored.
In her post, Atishi further criticised the ruling party for its actions and promised that the people of Delhi would respond to these alleged actions on February 5, the day of the upcoming Assembly elections. She strongly suggested that the raid was part of a broader attempt to target the AAP leadership.
The Delhi Police, however, categorically denied these claims, providing a different explanation for their presence at Kapurthala House.
According to a senior Delhi Police official, a team of officers, led by the Returning Officer, had only arrived at the residence to assist with an investigation related to a complaint filed via the C-Vigil portal.
The C-Vigil portal allows citizens to file complaints concerning violations of the election code, and the complaints are investigated and resolved within a 100-hour period.
The Delhi Police emphasised that their visit was solely in response to a complaint and that they were not conducting a raid. The senior official clarified that their presence was merely to support the Returning Officer, who is also the District Magistrate (DM) of New Delhi.
The police’s explanation was consistent with the statement issued by the DM, New Delhi. The DM confirmed that a team of polling officials, alongside Delhi Police, had arrived at Kapurthala House to investigate the alleged distribution of cash.
However, the DM noted that the security personnel at the residence had not permitted the team to enter and verify the complaint.
The timing of the incident is significant, as Bhagwant Mann has been in Delhi for the past few days campaigning for the Aam Aadmi Party ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections.
The elections are scheduled to take place on February 5, and the results are expected to be announced on February 8. This has added a layer of political tension to the allegations, with both parties exchanging accusations in the midst of the election season.
Atishi’s remarks about the raid and the subsequent controversy have amplified the political atmosphere in Delhi, particularly with the AAP preparing for a crucial election.
While the Delhi Police has firmly rejected the claims of a raid, the AAP’s accusations continue to draw attention to the ongoing tensions between the party and the BJP.
As the election day draws near, the dispute over the alleged raid has become another point of contention between the two parties.
The AAP’s criticism of the Delhi Police’s actions and its allegations against the BJP are likely to be central themes in the party's election rhetoric as they continue to rally support ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections.
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