Bhagwant Mann went to Paris to showcase Punjab’s agricultural produce. He returned with an unexpected souvenir: a ₹50,000 Customs penalty and a political controversy that refused to fit into the baggage allowance.
On October 19, the Punjab chief minister and his wife were stopped at Delhi’s IGI Airport after reportedly using the green channel, meant for passengers with nothing to declare. Customs sources said undeclared goods were found; reports listed everyday items, watches, clothes, shoes and jewellery. Mann’s AAP cried harassment, alleging he was kept waiting for nearly three hours. The BJP demanded the fine receipt and an explanation of what had been brought back.
Then came the political plot twist: Mann linked the episode to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, claiming the latter’s brother headed airport Customs. The allegation remains contested.
A trip to sell Punjab’s produce has become a test of what was in the bags, who imposed the penalty and whether politics travelled in the same luggage.
