Overview
- In a new January 17 statement, the media group said inspections from January 11–14 targeted presses across Punjab and a Jalandhar hotel, and alleged police broke into a closed press on January 15 and assaulted staff.
- The group says a critical October 31 report was followed by a halt to state advertisements from November 2 and a coordinated drive that threatens printing in Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Bathinda.
- The government says excise checks at Park Plaza in Jalandhar found over 800 liquor bottles at unapproved locations, missing holograms and QR codes, and sales of expired draught beer, leading to licence suspensions after due process.
- Authorities also cite environmental breaches such as untreated effluent discharge and expired consents, along with labour and safety lapses at printing units including blocked fire exits, unsafe wiring and expired fire extinguishers.
- AAP points to separate notices from the Chandigarh Administration to rebut claims of selective targeting, while Congress, BJP and SAD figures publicly condemn the state’s actions as curbs on press freedom.