ED raids against Punjab Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora, others

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday carried out searches at the residences and offices of Punjab cabinet minister Sanjeev Arora, his son Kavya Arora, and his business partners across 13 locations in Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh. The operation, conducted under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), involves allegations of money laundering, round-tripping of funds from the UAE, and links to illegal betting syndicates.

Punjab industries minister Sanjeev Arora was travelling to Europe as part of the state government’s ‘Invest Punjab’ initiative when the Enforcement Directorate action unfolded on Friday. (HT file photo)

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann termed the raids an “attack on democracy,” accusing the BJP-led central government of using federal agencies to intimidate the Aam Aadmi Party. Addressing a hurriedly convened press conference, Mann said that non-BJP governments are being increasingly targeted. “Government agencies are targeting the AAP because it is growing very fast and has become a national party in a short span of 10 years,” he added.