The AAP is facing its biggest existential threat since Bhagwant Mann took charge as Punjab Chief Minister. A viral video, a historic religious verdict, conflicting forensic reports, and a community excommunication have thrown India’s most ambitious state government into chaos. The controversy which began in October 2025 has exploded into a constitutional crisis that will reshape Punjab politics ahead of the 2027 state elections.
The Video that started everything in October 2025
The trouble started when a Canada-based NRI named Jagmandeep Singh, known as Jagman Samra, uploaded a video online in October 2025. An alleged video showed Bhagwant Mann drinking alcohol near portraits of Sikh Gurus in a compromising situation. For practicing Sikhs, this constitutes a profound spiritual violation. There is an absolute prohibition on the consumption of intoxicants in Sikhism, and any disrespect toward the Gurus is an act of the deepest violation of religion.
Bhagwant Mann immediately rejected the video as a “deepfake.” He claimed it was AI-generated and called for a forensic examination to prove the truth. His government later commissioned forensic analysis that supposedly examined 1,191 frames, including facial recognition, height comparison, and gait analysis. The report concluded that the person in the video was not Bhagwant Mann.
But here’s where things got complicated. The evidence now points in a troubling direction. On June 23, 2026, Gurugram Police arrested two men, identified as Ankit and Arun, for allegedly conspiring to prepare forged forensic reports. The FIR suggests that Punjab Police officers paid Rs 10 lakh to forge the forensic report claiming the video was fake. This allegation has turned the government’s main defence into a criminal investigation.
The Akal Takht steps in: What is this religious institution?
The Akal Takht is the apex temporal authority of Sikhism and is situated in the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar. It possesses no constitutional power under Indian law, but its moral authority over the Sikhs is undisputed. The Akal Takht can issue religious edicts, summon Sikhs accused of violating the faith’s code of conduct, and declare them “tankhaiya” (guilty of religious misconduct). There is no elected leader in Punjab who can overturn such verdicts. When Bhagwant Mann appeared barefoot before Sri Akal Takht Sahib in May 2026 carrying two black bags containing documents, it sent shock waves across the state. The image was historically unprecedented. Mann is only the fourth Punjab Chief Minister to appear before the Akal Takht. The previous three were Bhim Sen Sachar, Surjit Singh Barnala, and Parkash Singh Badal.
During this appearance, something largely overlooked happened. The Jathedar asked Mann about Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Mann confirmed he knew about Bhindranwale and described his role in the Damdami Taksal. How a sitting Chief Minister frames such a historically sensitive figure in front of a Sikh religious court deserves far more attention than it received.
“Guru Dokhi” and “Khalsa Panth Virodhi”: What do these verdicts mean?
The Akal Takht pronounced its formal verdict on June 15, 2026. The institution declared Bhagwant Mann “Guru Dokhi” (enemy of the Guru) and “Khalsa Panth Virodhi” (anti-Khalsa Panth). These are among the gravest verdicts in Sikhism. They carry no legal force under Indian law, but their social and political consequences are enormous.
What came next shocked everyone. The Akal Takht expelled Bhagwant Mann from the Sikh community. The Jathedar stated plainly: “The position of a chief minister is respectable. But Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann lied before the Akal Takht about the video.” The institution also ordered that no Sikh should maintain any association with him. This is believed to be the first time such a declaration has been made against a sitting Punjab Chief Minister.
The Jathedar raised another critical point. He questioned Mann’s ability to govern in the interests of the Guru and the Sikh community while serving as Chief Minister. This is not merely a religious rebuke. It is a direct challenge to his legitimacy as a political leader.
The Forensic Disaster: Whose report should you believe?
This is where the controversy becomes truly murky. The Akal Takht independently commissioned forensic examinations from two government-recognized laboratories. Both reports, dated May 27 and June 13, 2026, concluded that the video was authentic and showed no signs of AI manipulation or tampering.
The Akal Takht had formally written to Mann on January 27, asking him to suggest two laboratories for independent examination. According to the institution, “the Akal Takht did not receive any response from CM Bhagwant Mann or his office.” This silence is damaging. If the government genuinely wanted to prove the video was fabricated, why not cooperate?
But here’s the plot twist that changes everything. On 23rd of June, Gurugram Police arrested the men allegedly responsible for forging the report that supported Mann’s “deepfake” claim. The Haryana Police FIR states that the accused “did not operate out of any government-recognised laboratory” and allegedly “fabricated a video featuring the Chief Minister.”
Bhagwant Mann hit back hard on June 19. He released a video message claiming that the forensic analysis examined 1,191 frames and not a single frame matched him. He alleged that the BJP had pressured laboratory owners by threatening them with FIRs. The finger-pointing between which report is genuine and which is forged now dominates the scandal.
Sikh strategy by AAP collapses: What does this mean for Elections?
AAP built its Punjab strategy on one core claim: it is the sole custodian of Sikh interests. The Akal Takht’s verdict has demolished this narrative. A Sikh scholar noted that the declaration “exposed the hollowness” of AAP’s claim to represent Sikh aspirations.
This timing is devastating for AAP. Arvind Kejriwal had announced that Bhagwant Mann would be the party’s CM face for the 2027 state elections. A second consecutive victory in Punjab is critical for AAP’s survival as a credible national political force. Without Punjab, AAP becomes a one-state or two-state party, not a genuine national alternative.
The political opposition has smelled blood. Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and the Punjab BJP have all demanded Mann’s immediate resignation. Three parties that are bitter rivals found perfect common ground when a political opponent became vulnerable. It is the kind of cynical opportunism that Indian voters are increasingly familiar with.
June 29 and Beyond
The Akal Takht summoned all Sikh MLAs across party lines and the entire Punjab Cabinet on June 29, 2026. The summons specifically relates to their role in facilitating the passage of the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026. This law imposes stringent penalties, including life imprisonment for sacrilege-related offences, but the Akal Takht argues that it amounts to state interference in religious affairs.
The Punjab Assembly currently has 89 Sikh and 28 non-Sikh legislators. If legislators comply with the summons, it normalizes the principle that a religious institution can hold elected officials accountable. If they defy the summons, it risks a deeper religious-political conflict.
This is not merely a personal crisis for Bhagwant Mann. It is a constitutional question about whether the Akal Takht’s authority is compatible with India’s secular framework. The weeks ahead will determine not just Mann’s political future but the trajectory of Punjab itself as it moves toward what promises to be the most consequential state election in years.
What happens on June 29 could reshape Punjab politics entirely. The answer will come from whether elected representatives choose democratic accountability or religious authority. For AAP, the stakes have never been higher.