The Punjab government on Wednesday night moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, challenging Enforcement Directorate (ED) searches at the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) and multiple other locations across the state, prompting the court to appoint a senior-rank warrant officer to monitor the ongoing operations. The court-appointed officer has been directed to submit a status report by 2 pm on Thursday, 25 September 2026.

What Happened in Court

The matter came up for an urgent hearing before Justice Sanjay Vashisth late Wednesday night, with proceedings continuing into the early hours of Thursday. The high court authorised the warrant officer to visit the search locations at any time and directed the Chandigarh Director General of Police and the Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police to make necessary security arrangements for him.

During the hearing, the court was informed that ED search and seizure operations were underway and that some senior government functionaries had allegedly been detained. The state government also submitted that the ongoing action had brought government functioning to a standstill.

Scope of the ED Searches

The ED searches, conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), began at the GMADA headquarters in Mohali on Tuesday before being extended to several other locations in Punjab, Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Delhi. The agency is probing alleged irregularities in land acquisition, changes in land use, and financial concessions reportedly extended to private real estate entities.

Premises linked to Tirupati Infraprojects Pvt Ltd and associated companies have also been covered in the searches. The ED has alleged that suspected undue gains to private entities and the corresponding loss to the exchequer could exceed ₹100 crore. The agency has been examining records relating to land acquired by GMADA and decisions on changes in land use and dues payable to the authority.

Political Confrontation: AAP vs BJP

The ED action has triggered a sharp political confrontation between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre. The AAP has accused the Central government of deploying investigative agencies to pressure Punjab officials — allegations that have not been established by the court.

On Wednesday, the AAP said the BJP had lost political ground in Punjab and was now resorting to Central agencies to 'intimidate Punjabis' and AAP leaders. The party alleged the Centre was attempting to disrupt GMADA's functioning and create hurdles for Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's welfare schemes, including the Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna.

In a statement, the AAP said Arvind Kejriwal's exposure of the Election Commission's functioning had 'further rattled' the Narendra Modi government, which was 'now resorting to pressure tactics against Punjabis.' The party said: 'The BJP is unable to stop the welfare schemes through political means, so attempts are now being made to create administrative pressure and obstacles. The people of Punjab will not allow these tactics to succeed.'

What Happens Next

All eyes are now on the status report the warrant officer is set to submit to the high court by 2 pm Thursday. The report is expected to provide the court with a ground-level account of the search operations and the conditions at the sites. The judicial intervention marks a notable instance of a state government successfully seeking court oversight of a Central agency's field operations — a development likely to be watched closely in other AAP-governed states as well.