The Delhi Airport authorities fined Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Rs 50,000 over alleged undeclared goods as he returned from France on Tuesday night, sources have told NDTV.
The fine was levied by the Customs Duty Department over, what they call, undeclared luxury goods, sources said.
The Chief Minister, accompanied by his staff, was exiting through the Green Channel when he was stopped, and the officials went through his luggage. Sources said some luxury items had not been declared and a custom duty was levied on them.
His party, the AAP, has termed the incident an "insult to Punjabis".
AAP Punjab media in-charge Baltej Pannu alleged that the Chief Minister was deliberately humiliated and "detained for three hours" at the Delhi Airport at night.
"Then they issued a challan of Rs 50,000. The officials themselves admitted that they were under pressure, which proves that the entire episode was carried out under orders from above," Pannu claimed.
He said Mann travelled to Paris following a Punjab and Haryana High Court order and the central government once again demonstrated its "narrow-mindedness".
The visit was aimed at promoting Punjab's agricultural and food-processing products in international markets and exploring trade opportunities.
ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਕਿਸਾਨਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਸਹਿਕਾਰੀ ਅਦਾਰਿਆਂ ਲਈ ਬਹੁਤ ਮਾਣ ਵਾਲੀ ਗੱਲ ਹੈ... ਪੈਰਿਸ ਵਿਖੇ ਚੱਲ ਰਹੇ ਅੰਤਰਰਾਸ਼ਟਰੀ ਫੂਡ ਮੇਲੇ 'SIAL Paris' ਵਿੱਚ ਅੱਜ ਮਾਰਕਫੈੱਡ (MARKFED) ਦੇ ਸਟਾਲ ਦਾ ਉਦਘਾਟਨ ਕੀਤਾ ਅਤੇ ਆਪਣੇ 'ਸੋਹਣਾ' (SOHNA) ਬ੍ਰਾਂਡ ਹੇਠ ਦੋ ਨਵੇਂ ਪ੍ਰੋਡਕਟ ਲਾਂਚ ਕੀਤੇ... ਹੁਣ ਪੂਰੀ ਦੁਨੀਆ 'ਚ ਬੈਠੇ ਲੋਕ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਡੱਬਾਬੰਦ 'ਚਿੱਟੇ ਛੋਲੇ' (Chickpeas in Brine) ਅਤੇ 'ਰਾਜਮਾਂਹ' (Red Kidney Beans in Brine) ਦਾ ਸਵਾਦ ਮਾਣ ਸਕਣਗੇ... ਸਾਡਾ ਮੁੱਖ ਮਕਸਦ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਸ਼ੁੱਧ ਅਤੇ ਮਿਆਰੀ ਉਤਪਾਦਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਕੌਮਾਂਤਰੀ ਬਾਜ਼ਾਰਾਂ ਤੱਕ ਪਹੁੰਚਾਉਣਾ ਹੈ, ਤਾਂ ਜੋ ਸਾਡੇ ਕਿਸਾਨਾਂ ਦੀ ਆਮਦਨ 'ਚ ਵਾਧਾ ਹੋ ਸਕੇ ਅਤੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਉਤਪਾਦਾਂ ਦੀ ਦੁਨੀਆ ਭਰ 'ਚ ਪਛਾਣ ਬਣੇ... ਇਨਕਲਾਬ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਾਬਾਦ! ------ It is a matter of great pride for the farmers and cooperative institutions of Punjab... Today, inaugurated the MARKFED stall at the ongoing international food exhibition 'SIAL Paris' and launched two new products under our 'SOHNA' brand... Now, people sitting all over the world will be able to enjoy the taste of Punjab's canned 'Chickpeas in Brine' (Chitte Chhole) and 'Red Kidney Beans in Brine' (Rajmah)... Our main objective is to take Punjab's pure and high-quality products to international markets, so that our farmers' income can increase and Punjabi products can establish their identity worldwide... Inquilab Zindabad!
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) October 18, 2026
The incident has also triggered a bitter political exchange, with AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj terming it Centre's "arrogance".
"Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann went to Paris to launch Punjab's products at Paris. This was after he challenged Centre's not granting him the NOC. This arrogance of Centre must end. Even Ravan's arrogance ended on Dussehra," he wrote in a post on X.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) General Secretary Bikram Singh Majithia claimed that Mann and his wife Gurpreet Kaur were held for violating the laws.
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