Chandigarh: Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on May 9 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court challenging his arrest. He is seeking to be treated similarly to two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) defector MPs who recently received protection from the same court.
Court Proceedings
On Tuesday, a bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry heard Arora's petition and adjourned the matter to May 14. Arora, who served as Punjab's industries and power minister, was arrested following ED searches at his residence and other premises linked to him.
Argument of Political Victimisation
Arora's counsel, senior advocate Puneet Bali, argued before the bench: "This is a case of political victimisation. I want to show two orders passed by my lords recently, where my lords have safeguarded them from political vendetta. I am seeking parity."
Bali referred to recent proceedings involving Rajya Sabha MPs Sandeep Pathak and Rajinder Gupta, who switched from AAP to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on April 24 along with five others. Last week, the same high court bench granted Gupta protection from coercive action after his industrial unit was inspected by the Punjab Pollution Control Board. Similarly, Pathak, who had moved the high court to seek details of two FIRs purportedly registered against him, also received similar relief.
Violation of Fundamental Rights
Arora's counsel contended that the arrest was a violation of statutory safeguards and Fundamental Rights. The petition seeks to quash the remand order passed on May 9 by a special court in Gurgaon.
Arora's Business Background
According to the petition, Arora was the promoter and former chairman of Hampton Sky Realty Ltd (HSRL), formerly known as Ritesh Properties and Industries Ltd. He resigned from all executive roles upon assuming public office and has since had no role in the day-to-day functioning of the firm. He served as a Rajya Sabha member from 2022 to 2025 before becoming a member of the Punjab cabinet.
The plea states that HSRL commenced export of mobile phones from the 2023–24 fiscal year as part of legitimate business expansion. All transactions were conducted through proper banking channels and were fully documented, including procurement from authorised suppliers, Customs clearance, IMEI-based identification, and post-export verification.
Business Dealings with UAE Entities
The petition further states that the company had business dealings with UAE-based entities amounting to ₹102.5 crore, strictly in the ordinary course of business. It argues that neither Arora nor the firm had any control, shareholding, or beneficial interest in these entities beyond commercial transactions.
