Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has alleged that his recent detention at Delhi airport after returning from Paris was an act of retaliation, claiming that the Customs chief at the airport, Manish Kumar, is the brother of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Mann said he was stopped at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport after returning from France and that his luggage was checked for around two hours. He also said officials issued him a challan.
The Aam Aadmi Party had earlier claimed that Mann was detained for nearly three hours and issued a ₹50,000 challan, while alleging that officials were acting under pressure. The claimed relationship between Manish Kumar and Gyanesh Kumar, as well as Mann’s allegation of political retaliation, has not been independently established.
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Mann Links Airport Stop to Paris Visit
Mann said he had travelled to France after receiving an invitation to attend a food festival where the Punjab State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation, Markfed, had set up stalls.
He said representatives from Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh had also taken him to their respective stalls during the event.
According to Mann, he was initially not granted permission to attend the festival and was able to travel only after the High Court intervened.
He alleged that on his return, Customs officials stopped him at the airport, checked his luggage for around two hours and found nothing.
The AAP has accused the Centre of deliberately humiliating the chief minister and creating obstacles to Punjab’s progress, while also linking the incident to earlier denials of political clearance for his foreign visits.
Customs Chief Relationship Claim Not Independently Established
Mann claimed that the Customs chief at Delhi airport, whom he identified as Manish Kumar, is the real brother of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
He alleged that officials had used the airport stop as an opportunity to take revenge on him and damage his public image.
The relationship claimed by Mann and his allegation that the detention was politically motivated have not been independently established.
Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia had separately alleged that Customs officials stopped Mann and his wife, Gurpreet Kaur, for around three hours over questions concerning excess luggage or money beyond permitted limits.
Mann Raises Wider Concerns Over Democratic Institutions
Mann also accused the Centre of weakening democratic institutions and raised concerns over the functioning of the electoral process.
He alleged that voters were being removed from electoral rolls and claimed that democratic institutions were coming under increasing pressure.
The chief minister also accused the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation of registering cases around election time and alleged that some of those cases were later dropped.
Mann said Punjab had historically stood against oppression and maintained that his government would continue raising issues concerning the public.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
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