The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Sanjeev Arora, a prominent Cabinet minister in the Punjab government led by Bhagwant Mann, from his official residence in Chandigarh’s Sector 2. This arrest followed extensive search operations at Arora’s residences and offices under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002. Notably, there has been no official statement from the ED regarding his arrest.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia alleged that Arora was arrested in connection with an alleged GST fraud. The ED has been conducting searches at four premises linked to Arora since Saturday morning, marking the third raid within a year.
In response to the raid, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accused the BJP of misusing central agencies. He criticized the repeated ED visits to Arora’s residence, emphasizing that nothing incriminating has been found. Arora, a legislator from Ludhiana (West), had previously faced ED raids in 2024 related to a money laundering case involving the alleged conversion of industrial land for residential projects.
AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal criticized the ED’s actions, suggesting a pattern of targeting political opponents rather than combating corruption. SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia linked the ED raids to Hampton Sky Realty Ltd., highlighting an alleged fake GST mobile phone purchase and export racket under investigation.
Majithia called for stringent investigations into individuals associated with the alleged fraud, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability. He underscored the importance of holding ruling party leaders and their associates to the same standards as opposition figures, stressing the prevention of corruption and exploitation in Punjab.
