Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora has been remanded to seven days of Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody in connection with a ₹157 crore money laundering case. The case is linked to alleged fake mobile phone exports and Goods and Services Tax (GST) fraud.
ED Alleges Shell Companies Used for Fake Exports
The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that shell firms were used to show exports of nearly 44,000 mobile phones, predominantly iPhones, to route illegal funds into India. The agency claims that these transactions were part of a larger scheme to launder money through fictitious export invoices and fraudulent GST input tax credit claims.
Political Reactions Intensify
As the political row intensifies, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia have strongly defended Arora. They accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of engaging in political vendetta against the Punjab minister. Kejriwal stated that the ED action is a misuse of central agencies to target opposition leaders ahead of elections. Sisodia echoed similar sentiments, calling the arrest a desperate move by the BJP to destabilize the AAP government in Punjab.
Arora, who holds key portfolios in the Punjab government, has maintained his innocence. His legal team is expected to challenge the ED custody in court, arguing that the allegations are baseless and politically motivated.
Case Background
The money laundering case stems from an investigation into fake mobile phone exports that allegedly defrauded the exchequer of ₹157 crore. The ED claims that the accused used a network of shell companies to generate fake export documents and claim fraudulent GST refunds. The probe has so far uncovered evidence of large-scale financial irregularities involving multiple entities.
The development has sparked a fresh war of words between the ruling AAP and the opposition BJP. The BJP has dismissed the allegations of vendetta, stating that the ED is acting independently based on evidence. Political analysts believe the case could have significant implications for the upcoming state elections in Punjab.
