Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday visited jailed Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora at Bhondsi district jail in Gurgaon, where he is lodged in connection with an alleged Rs 100-crore fake Goods and Services Tax (GST) billing and money laundering case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Meeting Details
Mann and Kejriwal arrived at the high-security jail around 2 pm from Delhi and met Arora for nearly 20 minutes, according to party sources. The party leadership did not issue any formal statement after the meeting, but sources indicated that the visit was aimed at reviewing Arora's legal situation and demonstrating the party's support for the minister.
Background of the Case
The ED arrested Arora in Chandigarh on May 9. A special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) later remanded him to judicial custody until June 1. The case involves allegations of fraudulent GST billing amounting to Rs 100 crore and subsequent money laundering.
Political Reaction
Earlier, Mann had dismissed the allegations against Arora, terming the ED action as politically motivated. He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government is using central agencies to target AAP leaders in Punjab ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.
The meeting underscores the party's solidarity with Arora and its stance against what it perceives as misuse of investigative agencies for political purposes.
