The Enforcement Directorate conducted raids at various sites of the Lovely Group, led by AAP Rajya Sabha Member Ashok Kumar Mittal, in Jalandhar and Phagwara, Punjab. The searches are related to alleged violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). Locations being searched include Lovely Professional University (LPU), Lovely Autos, Lovely Sweets, and the Lovely Distance Education Centre.
Residences and offices associated with Mittal’s family members, such as his brothers Ramesh Mittal and Naresh Mittal, are also under scrutiny. Ashok Mittal, the founder Chancellor of LPU and Deputy Leader of the Rajya Sabha, is a well-known figure in the state. Mittal had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023, emphasizing the need to promote research in higher education and highlighting LPU’s contributions to the national skill development mission.
Expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister for his support to the education sector, Mittal and his family had presented gifts during the meeting. In the past, LPU’s annual cultural fest, ‘One India-2025’, was inaugurated by Aam Aadmi Party’s Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Kejriwal praised the fest, describing it as a celebration of India’s diversity and strength, emphasizing unity in diversity.
