Key Points:
The Punjab Kesari Group alleged that the AAP government in Punjab is targeting it with a motive to intimidate the press, claiming a targeted witch-hunt through raids and regulatory actions. The Punjab government denied the allegations, saying the actions were legal measures to address violations.
The letter signed by Punjab Kesari CEO Vijay Kumar Chopra stated that the actions began after an article on Arvind Kejriwal was published on October 31, 2025. It further said the Punjab government stopped all advertisements from November 2, 2025, after the publication.
The letter also mentioned nine raids conducted between January 11 and 15 by multiple government departments at hotels and printing presses linked to the group. The Opposition supported Punjab Kesari, calling the actions deeply disturbing and an attack on press freedom.
The Punjab Kesari Group has said that the AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) government in Punjab is targeting it with a motive to intimidate the press. In a letter issued on Thursday, January 15, 2026, the Punjab Kesari Group claimed that the Punjab government was engaged in a targeted witch-hunt, conducting a series of raids and regulatory actions against its publications and associated businesses.
The Punjab government, in its response has denied the allegations levelled on it by the Punjab Kesari Group. In an official press release, the Punjab government said that the move was not aimed at silencing the press freedom, but legal official measures taken to address the violations of the businesses associated with the group.
The aforementioned letter was signed by the CEO and Editor in Chief of the Punjab Kesari Group, Vijay Kumar Chopra, and other managing leadership Avinash Chopra and Amit Chopra. Addressed to Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, the letter states that the actions against the newspaper group took off when an article on Arvind Kejriwal was published on October 31, 2025. The article, balanced and fair, contained allegations levelled by the Opposition parties against the AAP National Convener, the letter reads further. The group also mentioned that after the publication of the article, the Government of Punjab stopped all advertisements from November 2, 2025.
According to several media reports, the Opposition in Punjab has claimed that Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann is providing a luxurious residence (official) to Kejriwal, despite him not being a sitting MLA or MP. They have further said that CM Mann has been conducting various meetings with Kejriwal, regarding party governance, administration in Punjab and that Kejriwal has been providing instructions to run Punjab’s government.
Social Activist and Rajya Sabha MP from Delhi Swati Maliwal, said that the Punjab government was allocating ads to newspapers based on the papers reporting in favour of the government. In a post on X, she said: “The Punjab government thinks it can buy everyone off by doling out ads worth crores to the media. In Punjab, people from Delhi decide who gets government ads and who doesn't. Those who praise more get their ad budgets increased. If someone writes even 1% negative, their ads get cut off, and on top of that, police action is guaranteed. Journalists who aren't liked have their accreditation canceled. Delhi-based journalists have been transferred to jobs in Punjab after being paid off. Ad expenses are being hidden across different departments.”
The letter further mentions incidents of nine raids conducted against the Chopra family, promoters and top managing authorities of the Punjab Kesari Group. Between January 11 and 15, 2026, the group said several government departments carried out inspections and raids. These included visits by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, GST and Excise departments at a Jalandhar hotel run by Chopra Hotels Private Limited. The Factories Department also conducted checks at its printing presses in Ludhiana and Jalandhar.
In addition, the Punjab Pollution Control Board took action at the hotel and presses, excise licences were cancelled, and electricity supply to the Jalandhar hotel was disconnected, read the letter. The group also pointed out heavy police deployment outside its offices in Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Bathinda, as of January 15, 2026, raising concerns that their operations would be disrupted by the Police.
Furthermore, the letter reads that despite the activities against the Punjab Kesari Group by the Punjab government, Punjab Kesari would continue to run undaunted, fearless and provide true and unbiased journalism. The managing directors urged the Punjab Governor to enquire into the matter, and take necessary action at the earliest.
According to a report from The Print, the AAP government in Punjab has faced allegations of curbing press freedom previously also. In early November 2025, police stopped vehicles carrying newspapers during early morning checks, disrupting newspaper supply across parts of Punjab. While the Opposition alleged this was meant to suppress news about Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence, the police said the checks followed intelligence inputs about possible weapons and drugs.
The report from The Print also mentions another incident in early January 2026, when the AAP government again faced criticism after an FIR was filed against RTI activist Manik Goyal, journalists, and influencers over a tweet questioning the use of a state chopper while the chief minister was abroad.
The Punjab government however, responded by saying that it found several operational failures and violations of norms, such as excise violations at the Park Plaza Hotel in Jalandhar, environmental violations by dumping untreated chemical waste into groundwater at certain offices, and encroachment violations, among others. It further stated that merely quoting the freedom of press would not amount to violating laws and regulations, and that the laws apply equally to all.
The AAP Government of Punjab also said that the Punjab Kesari group flagged certain violations in Chandigarh, raising questions over its claim of being selectively targeted. It pointed out that the Chandigarh Administration issued notices in September 2025 over illegal construction in Sector 25-D without environmental clearance.
The Opposition, however, came out in support of the Punjab Kesari group. Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said the freedom of the press is the backbone of democracy and described the group’s allegations of a targeted action through multiple government departments as deeply disturbing. Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Badal also expressed solidarity with the group and criticised the AAP government, while BJP state chief of Punjab, Sunil Jakhar, called the government’s actions an attack on press freedom.
The accusations raised by the Punjab Kesari Group are serious concerns to the press freedom of India, as it is maintained that media is the fourth pillar of democracy. The Punjab Kesari Group has been renowned for its unbiased reporting during the peak of insurgency/militancy period in Punjab (1984-1994). With state assembly elections approaching soon in Punjab, it is going to be important for the AAP as to how it plays their cards forwards. The episode underscores that a free press is not merely a constitutional ideal, but a practical necessity for transparent governance—one that cannot afford to be compromised, especially in politically sensitive times.
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