The Opposition parties - Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiromani Akali Dal - slammed the AAP-led Punjab government after a video emerged on social media showing cops planting drugs at a Hindu priest's home to frame him. Police raided the residence of Mahant Kashmir Giri in Khanna town, Ludhiana.

The CCTV footage shows one of the police personnel keeping something under the mattress. The Daily Jagran does not independently verify the authenticity of the video. The raid followed the arrest of Giri's driver, Gurjant Singh alias Janta, who was reportedly caught with 7.5 grams of drugs. NDTV reported that an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) has been suspended after the incident came to light.

Welcome To AAP model of "Law & Order": Badal

Sharing the video, SAD Leader Sukhbir Singh Badal attacked the state government, saying the Khanna Police ASI was caught live on CCTV secretly hiding a packet of drugs under a mattress inside a home. Taking a dig at the government, the former Punjab deputy chief minister said: Welcome to the AAP model of "Law & Order".

"Welcome to the AAP model of "Law & Order"! Khanna Police ASI was caught live on CCTV secretly hiding a packet of drugs under a mattress inside a home! @AAPPunjab promised home delivery of services, but who knew it included home-delivered drugs by the Punjab Police to frame citizens? Is this how Punjab Police delivers "Badlav" under your supervision, Guru Dokhi @BhagwantMann? #PunjabVirodhiAAP," his social media post read.

ALSO READ: Punjab Assembly Polls: Three AAP MLAs Join BJP In Setback To Mann Govt, Saurabh Bharadwaj Calls Them 'Leftovers'

His party, SAD, also shared the clip to attack the government. "When police personnel, who are duty-bound to protect Punjab's future, are caught on camera brazenly planting drugs to frame innocent people out of sheer greed, it makes a complete mockery of governance under Guru-Dokhi @BhagwantMann," it said.

The protectors have become predators, and that too right in front of the camera, the SAD stated, asking, is this a 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' or a systematic destruction of our children's future by the very hands hired to protect it.

Hindu Sanatan Is Under Attack: BJP

The BJP termed the incident as an attack on Sanatan. The saffron party said the Bhagwant Mann government is hiding its failure by targeting Sanatan and framing saints in fake cases.

"See the disgusting act of the AAP government's police in Punjab. In Khanna, Ludhiana, CCTV footage shows ASI Sukhdev Singh placing something under the bed in the house of Shiv Sena leader Baba Kashmir Giri, and then the police "recover" 30 grams of heroin from the exact same spot! Those who claim to free Punjab from drugs are now planting drugs in the homes of saints and mahatmas themselves! The conspiracy is clear: Target Sanatana, frame saints in fake cases, and hide your failures. But remember, the Hindus of this country are watching all this, and they will settle the score for this conspiracy," the saffron party said in an X post.

ALSO READ: Punjab Assembly Elections: AAP Faces Setback As Two MLAs Resign Day After First Candidate List Announced

It Has Exposed Mann Govt: Congress

The Congress asserted that the Khanna incident has exposed the hollowness of the Bhagwant Mann government and Punjab Police’s claims of cracking down on drugs.

The very ASI entrusted with catching drug peddlers was allegedly caught on CCTV planting drugs, only for the same drugs to be shown as a recovery later, it said, adding that this raises serious questions about the credibility of Punjab Police’s anti-drug campaign.

"Bhagwant Mann’s government owes Punjab an explanation. Is this how it intends to make Punjab drug-free?," it added.