Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring has questioned the timing of recent Enforcement Directorate searches in Punjab and said that alleged corruption in the state should be investigated thoroughly. His comments came after the central agency conducted search and survey operations at multiple locations in Punjab and neighbouring states as part of a money laundering investigation.
The Enforcement Directorate conducted searches and surveys at 26 premises across Delhi, Chandigarh, Haryana and Punjab on September 22, 2026. The operation was linked to an investigation involving Tirupati Infraprojects Pvt Ltd and associated companies. The agency also conducted surveys at the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority and the Punjab Department of Housing and Urban Development. According to reports based on information from officials, the investigation is examining alleged financial irregularities involving companies connected with Tirupati Infraprojects and transactions involving GMADA properties.
According to the reported ED findings, promoters of Tirupati Infraprojects also controlled other companies that acquired two auctioned sites in Mohali from GMADA. The agency is examining whether those companies subsequently received substantial financial relief in relation to dues payable to the authority. Officials cited in the reports estimated that the suspected undue benefit to the companies and the potential loss to the government exchequer could exceed Rs 100 crore. The investigation is ongoing, and the allegations under examination have not been established as final findings of guilt.
The ED action has become a political issue in Punjab, particularly because the state is scheduled to hold its next Assembly election in 2027. Warring questioned why the central agency had become active at this stage and argued that investigations into alleged corruption should not be limited to the period immediately before elections.
Speaking to reporters on September 25, Warring said that he had not given a clean chit to any central investigation agency. He said that alleged irregularities should be investigated and that the issue should not be viewed only through the latest searches involving GMADA. He also alleged that concerns about corruption extended to other departments and ministries in Punjab.
Warring questioned why investigations were not pursued earlier if allegations of corruption had existed for several years. He argued that the timing of the current ED action raised questions, particularly with the Assembly election approaching. These comments represent the Congress leader’s political assessment and allegations, rather than established findings by an investigating agency or a court.
The Congress leader also raised questions about earlier cases and investigations in the state. He asked what had happened to previous First Information Reports and investigations involving alleged corruption and why similar action had not been taken earlier. He further referred to the possibility of political understandings at higher levels, but described such suggestions as speculation rather than established facts. Such claims have not been independently established by the available reports.
Meanwhile, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party has also criticised the ED searches. AAP leaders and workers staged a protest outside the GMADA office in Mohali on September 24. The party alleged that central agencies were being used to put pressure on the Punjab government ahead of the Assembly elections. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the state government would pursue legal remedies and oppose what the party described as political pressure from the Centre.
Reports said the AAP protest occurred while ED officials were conducting their operations at the GMADA premises. The Indian Express reported that the protest became a political and legal flashpoint, with some protesters allegedly pelting stones. The Tribune reported that around 400 AAP leaders and workers gathered outside the GMADA office and alleged that the ED action was aimed at putting pressure on the Punjab government before the 2027 polls.
The ED investigation itself relates to alleged financial transactions involving Tirupati Infraprojects and associated entities. Reports said the case also involves an earlier bank fraud investigation concerning a Radisson Blu hotel project in Paschim Vihar, New Delhi, with the alleged bank fraud amount reported at around Rs 290 crore. The agency is examining the financial links between the companies and transactions involving GMADA.
The ED is also reported to have searched premises connected with Tila Consultants and Contractors Pvt Ltd, a consultancy firm associated with GMADA-related works. Investigators are examining whether the firm acted as an intermediary in the alleged irregularities. The searches and surveys are part of an ongoing investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The political reactions from Congress and AAP have therefore focused heavily on the timing and implications of the ED action. Congress has questioned why the agency acted at this stage, while AAP has alleged that central agencies are being used for political pressure. The ED investigation, however, is focused on the financial transactions and alleged money laundering issues identified by the agency.
At this stage, the ED searches and allegations under investigation should not be treated as proof of criminal wrongdoing by every person or organisation whose premises were searched. Further investigation, evidence and any subsequent legal proceedings will determine the outcome of the case.
The controversy has added another political dimension to Punjab ahead of the 2027 Assembly election. While opposition parties have questioned the timing of the investigation, the central agency’s reported searches are part of a financial investigation that began independently of the political statements made after the raids. The developments are expected to remain a significant issue in Punjab politics as the investigation progresses
