Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora arrested by ED after raids; Kejriwal targets BJP

The ED conducted fresh searches at Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora's residence and linked premises in a new money laundering case. The action sharpened the AAP government's political clash with the BJP-led Centre ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls.

In Short

• ED raids Punjab Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora in fresh money laundering probe
• Searches conducted in Chandigarh, Delhi and Gurugram linked to fake GST claims
• Probe involves alleged fake GST purchases of mobile phones worth over Rs 100 crore

Punjab Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora was arrested on Saturday after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out fresh raids against him and persons allegedly linked to him as part of a newly registered money laundering probe. The fresh ED move has intensified the political confrontation between the AAP government in Punjab and the BJP-led Centre.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal launched a sharp attack on the BJP after Arora's, claiming the crackdown would politically backfire on the party.

Kejriwal said discussions about the ED raids had reached “every household” in Punjab and alleged that people, including BJP workers, were upset with the Centre’s approach towards the state. “Those you arrest will come out of jail in four days, but BJP will not be able to enter Punjab for the next 20 years,” he said.

ED teams reached Arora’s official residence in Chandigarh’s Sector 2 around 7 am and began search operations shortly after 7.25 am. Officials arrived in nearly 20 vehicles, while around three dozen CIA and Special Forces personnel were deployed for security. Apart from Chandigarh, searches were also conducted at two locations in Delhi and at Hampton Sky Realty Ltd in Gurugram’s Udyog Vihar.

The latest action follows a fresh case registered under the criminal provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED alleged the probe relates to fake GST purchases of mobile phones worth more than Rs 100 crore and subsequent exports allegedly used to “round-trip” illegitimate funds from Dubai to India. According to the agency, fake GST purchase bills were allegedly obtained from non-existent firms in Delhi to claim fraudulent input tax credit (ITC).

FEMA ACTION, ASSET ATTACHMENT

The latest raids come less than a month after the ED searched Arora and linked entities on April 17 under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

As part of that probe, the agency provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth Rs 157.12 crore linked to Hampton Sky Realty Ltd, Arora and related entities over alleged bogus sales and exports.

Arora, 62, is an AAP MLA from Ludhiana West and had earlier said he would fully cooperate with investigators while expressing confidence that “truth will prevail”.

The minister was also raided by the ED in 2024 in connection with an alleged industrial land misuse case when he was serving as a Rajya Sabha MP.

AAP ACCUSES BJP OF MISUSING ED

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accused the BJP-led Centre of using agencies such as the ED and CBI as “weapons” against Opposition parties. “The end of this unethical alliance of ED-BJP will begin from Punjab,” Mann said.

Kejriwal, in a strongly worded post, alleged Punjab had been “coerced” and “ill-treated” by the Centre over the past few years. “Modi ji has got daily ED raids started in Punjab soon after the Bengal polls concluded,” he alleged.

The former Delhi chief minister also accused the Centre of targeting Punjab’s water rights, attempting to take over Punjab University and withholding rural development funds before “unleashing” ED raids in the state.

‘JOIN BJP OR FACE RAIDS’

Kejriwal linked the ED action against Arora to recent raids on Ashok Kumar Mittal, who later joined the BJP along with six other AAP Rajya Sabha MPs. “Ashok Mittal joined the BJP after ED raids. Arora did not join the BJP, so another raid has happened,” he alleged.

Drawing a comparison with Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, Kejriwal alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi was now trying to politically “capture” Punjab after targeting other parts of the country.

“Punjab, taking inspiration from the sacrifices of Sikh Gurus, will face Modi ji’s torture and save the whole country from it,” he said.

ED ACTIONS INTENSIFY AHEAD OF 2027 POLLS

The ED has stepped up actions in Punjab over recent weeks ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. Earlier this week, the agency raided Punjab builders, real estate firms and alleged associates of Punjab AAP president Aman Arora, who dismissed the allegations as a “fabricated narrative”.

The AAP has repeatedly described the ED actions in Punjab as a political witch hunt orchestrated by the BJP government at the Centre.

- Ends
With agency inputs