After ED raid on nephew, Punjab minister Mundian alleges ‘political pressure’ on family
Mundian said the AAP would not be pressured into abandoning its political position, adding that the party would continue to face the BJP’s actions politically.
A day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) searched the house of Punjab Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian’s nephew in an alleged money laundering case, the AAP leader alleged Thursday that the raid had been used to exert political pressure on his family and harass them.
ED searched the house of his nephew, Gurpreet Singh alias Prince, in Ludhiana’s Sahnewal as part of its money-laundering investigation linked to the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA).
Addressing a press conference with Prince, Mundian also took a dig at BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu, who accused him of having “fled abroad”.
The Housing and Urban Development Minister alleged that during the search, ED officials repeatedly told family members to tell him to leave the Aam Aadmi Party and that Prince should stop supporting him.
“The officials told the family to ask me to leave the AAP and join another party. They told them the AAP was not a good party. They asked my nephew why he was associated with me. They said the AAP was the wrong party,” he alleged.
Mundian said the ED search distressed his nephew’s family and his sister-in-law, a widow with a nine-month-old daughter.
“They could not find anything from our family. They stayed in my nephew’s house from 11 pm to 3 am. They did not allow an eight-month-old girl to be fed by her mother, nor did they allow a three-year-old girl to eat. They forced an eight-month-pregnant woman to keep standing for four hours,” he claimed.
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“I can assure you all that the family stood up to them. We are Punjabis. We will face anything.”
He said his nephew moved to Ludhiana with his children after his brother’s death and started a business to support the family.
“They kept asking my nephew about the money he was earning. Then they kept asking why he was earning so little and why he was supporting a minister,” Mundian told the media.
He said that when the officials left, the family sought a written record of what had been recovered. “They gave it in writing that nothing had been found apart from old household articles,” he claimed.
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Responding to Bittu’s claim that he had left for the US, Mundian said, “I am holding this press conference in Chandigarh, not America.”
He said Bittu appeared to have opened a “travel agency” after his own political ticket was cut and was now booking tickets to America for him and his nephew.
‘We are not afraid’
The minister said he would not be intimidated by the agency’s action.
“I am a soldier of kattar imaandar AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann. I will never bow before BJP pressure,” he said.
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Mundian said the AAP would not be pressured into abandoning its political position, adding that the party would continue to face the Bharatiya Janata Party’s actions politically.
He alleged that the BJP is using Central agencies to create fear in Punjab ahead of the Assembly elections. “The BJP is trying to fight elections through fear after failing to generate public enthusiasm. Punjab is not a place where people can be intimidated through ED raids or threats. We are Punjabis, and we are not afraid,” he added.
Mundian also referred to the cases involving former Delhi ministers Satyendar Jain and Manish Sisodia, alleging that the BJP had similarly targeted AAP leaders in Delhi before elections.
The ED’s searches in Punjab are part of the agency’s wider money-laundering investigation involving Tirupati Infraprojects and associated entities. The agency has also been conducting search and survey operations at GMADA and the Punjab Housing and Urban Development Department.
Kanchan Vasdev is a Senior Assistant Editor in The Indian Express’ Punjab bureau. She is a highly experienced journalist with 22 years of expertise covering high-stakes politics, governance, and social issues in Northern India.
Professional Background
Role: Primary reporter covering the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), government policies, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership in the state.
Experience: She previously worked with The Tribune and has played a key role in launching various city editions.
Special Projects:
Abandoned Brides: Authored a monograph on brides abandoned by NRIs as part of the Prabha Dutt Memorial Fellowship.
Environment: Worked as a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) fellow, focusing on the pollution levels in the Satluj river.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Her recent reporting focuses on the legislative strategies and political maneuvers of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government:
1. Legislative & Governance Standoffs
"Punjab govt advances special Assembly session to pass resolution against VB-G RAM G Bill" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the state's move to block the Centre's "Viksit Bharat" mission, which the state claims will undermine MGNREGA.
"Punjab govt doubles down on special sessions, sixth in January" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing the AAP government's use of special sessions as a legislative tool amid tensions with the Governor.
"Punjab asks 'VIP teachers' working near Chandigarh to go back to border districts" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on CM Mann's move to end the practice of influential teachers avoiding postings in remote areas.
2. Political Analysis & Rural Polls
"Punjab rural polls: Why Akalis are likened to dinosaurs in Punjab" (Dec 19, 2025): Analyzing CM Bhagwant Mann's rhetoric against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) following local body elections.
"AAP claims win in 78% Punjab zila parishads as counting continues" (Dec 18, 2025): Breaking down the results of the 2025 rural elections.
"Rahul Gandhi and Sidhu alike, says Bhagwant Mann" (Dec 13, 2025): Covering the CM's critique of the Congress leadership.
3. Law Enforcement & Bureaucracy
"Suspended Punjab IPS officer Ravjot Kaur Grewal awaits reinstatement" (Dec 10, 2025): Investigative reporting on the bureaucratic red tape involving the Election Commission and the state government.
"Punjab declines to give parole to Amritpal Singh" (Nov 27, 2025): Detailing the state government's refusal to grant parole to the radical preacher and sitting MP.
4. Welfare & Economy
"Punjab government's plan to add more freebies to 'atta-dal' scheme hits funds roadblock" (Dec 4, 2024): An analysis of the fiscal challenges facing the state's flagship food security program.
"Mann leads Punjab delegation to Japan and South Korea for investor outreach" (Dec 2, 2025).
Signature Beat
Kanchan Vasdev is known for her insider access to Punjab's political executive. Her writing provides deep insights into how state policies are formulated and the friction points between the state government and central authorities. Her dual expertise in environment and law allows her to report on complex issues like the "Farmhouse Policy" (Dec 18, 2025) and river pollution with a unique policy-oriented lens.
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