The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government of using enforcement agencies for political purposes after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted fresh searches linked to Punjab Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora in a money laundering case involving alleged fake Goods and Services Tax (GST) transactions exceeding Rs 100 crore.
ED raids across multiple cities
The ED carried out raids at five locations across Delhi, Gurugram, and Chandigarh, including Arora's official residence in Chandigarh and premises linked to his associates and companies. According to officials, the searches were conducted under the criminal provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as part of a newly registered case.
The agency alleged that Arora and related entities generated fraudulent purchase bills for mobile phones through purportedly non-existent firms based in Delhi. Investigators suspect these fake transactions were used to claim wrongful input tax credit (ITC), GST refunds, and export benefits. The ED also claimed that funds were routed through exports and later 'round-tripped' from Dubai to India to legitimize illegal gains.
Arora, 62, is an AAP MLA from Ludhiana West and serves as the power and industries minister in the government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
AAP alleges political vendetta
Senior AAP leaders strongly criticized the raids, calling them politically motivated ahead of Punjab's assembly elections scheduled for early 2027. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann stated that this was the third ED visit to Arora's premises in a year and the second within a month.
In a post on X, Mann wrote: 'Today, once again, the BJP's ED has come to Sanjeev Arora's house. In one year, this is the third time the BJP's ED has come to his house. And in the last one month, the second time. Yet, they haven't found anything. I want to tell Modi ji that Punjab is the land of the Gurus, which even Aurangzeb could not subdue.'
Addressing a press conference in Sangrur, Mann accused the BJP of using agencies like the ED, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and Income Tax Department as 'weapons' against opposition-ruled states. 'By conducting ED raids, their purpose is not to find any black money or any illegal document, their purpose is to convey to the person at whose premises the raid is carried out to join the BJP, and everything he has done will be forgiven,' Mann said.
Punjab AAP president Aman Arora also attacked the Centre, stating, 'I want to tell the BJP, ED, CBI and the Central govt that Punjab is a land of gurus and Bhagat Singh. I ask them to stop their actions.'
Background of the case
The latest action comes weeks after the ED raided Arora and linked entities under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) provisions and attached assets allegedly linked to bogus sales and exports worth Rs 157.12 crore. Arora has previously stated that he would fully cooperate with investigators and expressed confidence that 'the truth will prevail'.
The AAP's allegations highlight the ongoing political tensions between the party and the central government, with the opposition accusing the BJP of misusing federal agencies to target rivals. The ED has not commented on the political allegations, maintaining that its actions are based on legal evidence.
