Sukhbir Badal offers to court arrest in Punjab DGP’s office

February 5, 2026

Chandigarh: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday offered to court arrest at the office of DGP Gaurav Yadav, demanding an end to what he described as the “persecution” of his employees and financial consultants.

Accompanied by the party’s core committee, Badal staged a protest at the Punjab Police Headquarters, alleging that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government is using a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to harass those associated with him.

Allegations of Misdirected Investigation

The confrontation centers on the ongoing probe into the disappearance of 328 ‘swaroops’ (holy volumes) of the Guru Granth Sahib from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in 2020. Badal alleged that instead of focusing on the religious theft, the SIT—acting on orders from AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal—is raiding the premises of his personal chartered accountants, including Ashwani and Associates.

“All my balance sheets are being illegally seized, and my employees and their family members are being pressured to implicate me in a false case,” Badal told reporters. He challenged the police to register an FIR directly against him if they suspected wrongdoing, rather than “targeting unrelated individuals.”

Political Vendetta and Rising Popularity

Badal linked the police action to the Akali Dal’s recent electoral gains and the release of senior leader Bikram Singh Majithia. He asserted that the government became desperate after seeing the “huge response” the SAD received in the Malwa region during recent Samiti and Zila Parishad elections.

“The AAP government has become desperate to stop the rising popularity of SAD… SITs, which are acting like private armies of AAP, have been formed to embroil SAD leaders in false cases,” he remarked.

Stand on Business Legality

The SAD President further maintained that his business interests, including the Sukh Vilas resort and his bus company, are entirely legal and in the public domain. He warned that the Akali Dal core committee has decided to “come on the roads” in a state-wide protest if the harassment of leadership and their staff does not cease immediately.

The protest escalated into a sit-in outside the police headquarters, with SAD workers raising slogans against the state government. Senior leaders, including Bikram Majithia, were present, marking a unified front following his recent seven-month incarceration.