ED arrests Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora in Rs 100 crore money laundering case probe | India News
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora was arrested on Saturday in connection with an ongoing Rs 100 crore money laundering probe allegedly involving fraudulent Goods and Services Tax (GST) transactions, officials said.Also Read | ED raids house of Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora in money laundering caseOfficials said Arora was arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).The Punjab Industries Minister was taken into custody hours after the ED conducted raids at five locations across Delhi, Gurugram and Chandigarh, including his official residence in Chandigarh and premises associated with his associates and firms.Arora also faced ED action in April, just days after a similar raid was launched against the then AAP Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Kumar Mittal. Shortly thereafter, Mittal joined the BJP along with six other Rajya Sabha MPs from the party, including Raghav Chadha.Also Read | ‘I’m happy where I am’: Minister Sanjeev Arora denies quitting AAP after ED raidAccording to the ED, Arora and his associated companies generated fake purchase bills for mobile phones through non-existent companies operating out of Delhi. Investigators suspect that these transactions were fraudulently used to claim input tax credit (ITC), GST refunds and export-related benefits.The central agency also alleged that proceeds from the transactions were “round-tripped” from Dubai to India in an attempt to launder the illegal funds through exports and later.The 62-year-old leader is an MLA from Ludhiana West and a former Rajya Sabha member. His arrest comes less than a year before Punjab goes to assembly elections in February 2027.AAP leaders linked the action to the upcoming elections, accusing the BJP-led Center of waging a campaign of political vendetta through central investigative agencies.“The ED conducts raids, their aim is not to find any black money or illegal documents. Their aim is to send a message to the raided person that everything will be forgiven if they join the BJP,” Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwat Mann told reporters in Sangrur.Also Read | ‘This is Punjab, not afraid of threats’: Bhagwant Mann after ED raid on ministerAAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal also attacked the BJP, claiming that the party would face political backlash in Punjab.“Modiji, go ahead and launch four more ED drives — BJP will lose all its seat deposits. The leaders you arrest may be out in four days, but BJP will not be able to set foot in Punjab for the next twenty years,” Kejriwal posted on X.
