Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], April 15 (ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday condemned the raids conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at the multiple premises of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP and Deputy Leader of the Upper House, Ashok Kumar Mittal.

The Chief Minister accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of orchestrating these actions, asserting that the raids are being carried out as part of the preparations for the upcoming Punjab elections.

'BJP begins preparations for Punjab elections... ED raids at the home and university of AAP Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal..typical Modi style. Hum bhi patte nahi jo shaakh se tut kar gir jayenge, aandhiyo se kehdo apne aukaat mein rahe (We are not mere leaves that would break away from the branch and fall. Tell the storms to know their place),' CM Mann posted on X.

Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh also criticised the Enforcement Directorate raids at multiple premises belonging to Ashok Kumar Mittal. Singh characterised the move as a display of 'shameful and unconstitutional tactics' by the BJP, alleging that such actions are being carried out to crush the power of the Aam Aadmi Party.

Earlier today, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at multiple premises linked to Ashok Kumar Mittal, in connection with an alleged violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), officials said.

AAP leaders, including Former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor, Arvind Kejriwal, slammed the Centre and criticised the ED raids. Kejriwal called for a befitting reply to the BJP in the 2027 Punjab Legislative Assembly elections.

'Modi ji has started preparations for the elections in Punjab. But the people of Punjab will not tolerate this. They will give a befitting reply to the BJP,' AAP convenor wrote on X.

Ashok Kumar Mittal was recently appointed as the new Deputy Leader of AAP in the Upper House, replacing Raghav Chadha.

A Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab, Mittal was elected to the House in April 2022 and, since then, has been a part of several parliamentary committees, including the Committee on Defence, the Committee on Finance and, in February 2026, he was made a member of the India- USA Parliamentary Friendship Group.

He was also a part of an all-party delegation, led by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi, which visited Russia, Latvia, Slovenia, Greece, and Spain after the Pahalgam terror attack last year. (ANI)