Mohali: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has issued a strong rebuttal regarding his alleged connections to the individuals targeted during Thursday morning’s Enforcement Directorate raids at the Western Towers in Kharar. While the city of Jalandhar remained on high alert during his visit for the Shukrana Yatra, the Chief Minister addressed the controversy surrounding the dramatic events at the residential complex, where witnesses reported seeing a bag full of currency notes being thrown from a ninth-floor balcony. Mann categorically denied any personal or political affiliation with the parties under investigation, asserting that the federal agency’s actions appeared to be centred on the activities of an old company rather than his current administration or staff.
The Chief Minister emphasized that central investigative agencies maintain the autonomy to conduct searches and raids wherever they deem necessary in the interest of the law. He stated that the government has no intention of obstructing any investigation and that agencies are free to pursue leads across the state. This statement comes at a time when opposition leaders from the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Congress have intensified their attacks, claiming that the raid on the apartment of an individual named Nitin reveals deeper connections to the Chief Minister’s Office through high-ranking associates. Mann’s response is seen as a strategic move to distance his leadership from the real estate scandal that has gripped the Mohali region.
The ED’s operation is part of a broader probe into alleged fraud involving Change of Land Use licences and the evasion of fees owed to the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority. Several prominent real estate developers, including Altus Builders and Sunteck City, have been named in the investigation, which seeks to uncover the misappropriation of hundreds of crores in public funds. Despite the sensational nature of the cash recovery at Western Towers, Mann maintains that the law will take its own course and that his focus remains on the implementation of governance reforms and the state’s religious milestones. The political friction continues to mount as investigative teams scrutinize recovered documents and electronic evidence to establish the full scope of the alleged money laundering network.
