Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was fined Rs 50,000 at Delhi Airport after customs officials found luxury goods that had allegedly not been declared following his return from France on Tuesday night.
Mann, who was accompanied by members of his staff, was stopped while leaving through the Green Channel. Officials examined his luggage and imposed customs duty on items described as undeclared luxury goods.
The Aam Aadmi Party described the incident as an “insult to Punjabis”. AAP Punjab media in-charge Baltej Pannu alleged that Mann was deliberately humiliated and detained at the airport for three hours during the night.
Pannu claimed that the officials issued a challan of Rs 50,000 and had admitted they were under pressure. He alleged that the episode was carried out on orders from senior authorities.
He also said Mann had travelled to Paris after an order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and accused the central government of displaying a “narrow-minded” attitude.
The visit to France was intended to promote Punjab’s agricultural and food-processing products in international markets and to explore trade opportunities.
The matter has led to a political exchange between the AAP and its opponents. AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj called the incident an expression of the Centre’s “arrogance” in a post on X.
Bharadwaj said Mann had gone to Paris to launch Punjab’s products after challenging the Centre’s refusal to grant him a no-objection certificate. He added that the Centre’s alleged arrogance should end, referring to the traditional account of Ravan’s downfall on Dussehra.
Shiromani Akali Dal General Secretary Bikram Singh Majithia claimed that Mann and his wife, Gurpreet Kaur, had been held for violating the law.
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