ED raids AAP minister Sanjeev Arora
April 17, 2026
Jalandhar: Even as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on Wednesday at premises linked to Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha member Ashok Mittal and his f.
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday conducted extensive searches at multiple premises linked to Punjab Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora in connection with a money laundering and foreign exchange violation probe. Raids began early in the morning at thirteen locations across Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Gurgaon, and Chandigarh, targeting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader's residences and business offices. The action is part of an ongoing investigation into alleged financial irregularities, including illegal land use, routing of betting money, and insider trading. Central police forces were deployed to secure the locations during the searches.
The federal agency's probe is being conducted under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). It centers on allegations against Hampton Sky Realty Ltd, a real estate company promoted by Arora where his son serves as managing director. The ED is investigating claims that the company engaged in illegal changes of land use for an industrial plot, booked fraudulent sales to inflate share prices, and facilitated the round-tripping of funds from the United Arab Emirates. The investigation has also linked the minister to an alleged illegal betting platform named "Khiladi Book" and suggests that political influence may have been used to protect betting operators in exchange for a share of the profits.
This is the second time the ED has raided the industrialist-turned-politician; his properties were previously searched in October 2024 in a related land fraud case. The latest raids unfolded while Arora was reportedly on an official visit to Amsterdam for an investment promotion initiative. In a message posted on social media, Arora acknowledged the agency's action and stated that as a responsible citizen, he would fully cooperate with the investigation, expressing confidence that the truth will prevail. The searches also extended to the premises of his business associates, Hemanth Sood and Chandrasekhar Aggarwal.
The raid has triggered a sharp political backlash. AAP's national convener, Arvind Kejriwal, and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann condemned the action, framing it as a politically motivated attack by the BJP-led central government. Mann described the move as a "murder of democracy" and part of the BJP's preparations for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, alleging that central agencies are being used to harass non-BJP governments. The action against Arora comes just two days after the ED conducted similar searches at the premises of AAP's Rajya Sabha MP, Ashok Kumar Mittal, intensifying the confrontation between the party and central authorities.
Opponents of the AAP have seized on the investigation. Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia alleged that the ED's actions point toward a network of "money exchangers" within the Aam Aadmi Party. Arora, a businessman with interests in real estate and exports, entered politics in 2022 when he was elected to the Rajya Sabha. He was later inducted into the Punjab state cabinet, where he holds the portfolio for Industries and Commerce, among others. The ongoing investigation will now proceed based on the evidence collected during the searches, with potential implications for both the minister and the political landscape in Punjab.
Source: toi