ED Arrests Punjab Minister Sanjeev Arora in Alleged ₹100-Crore Money Laundering Case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday arrested Punjab Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora in connection with an alleged money laundering case involving suspected fake GST transactions worth nearly ₹100 crore. The arrest came after extensive searches were conducted at multiple locations linked to the minister and associated business entities across Chandigarh, Delhi and Gurugram.

According to officials, the action was carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as part of an ongoing investigation into financial irregularities and alleged fraudulent billing operations. ED teams reportedly searched Arora’s official residence and several commercial premises connected to companies under scrutiny before taking the minister into custody for questioning.

Investigators suspect that a network of firms generated fake invoices and manipulated Goods and Services Tax records to facilitate large-scale financial irregularities. Officials involved in the probe claimed that several suspicious transactions and financial links emerged during the investigation, prompting the agency to intensify its action against those allegedly connected to the case.

The ED is expected to seek custodial interrogation of the minister in order to examine financial documents, digital records and transactions associated with the alleged fraud. Sources indicated that investigators are also looking into the possible involvement of additional individuals and business entities linked to the suspected laundering network.

The arrest immediately triggered a political storm in Punjab, with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party accusing the BJP-led Central government of using investigative agencies to target opposition leaders. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann strongly criticised the ED operation and alleged that central agencies were being misused for political purposes.

AAP leaders described the arrest as politically motivated and questioned the timing of the action. Several party leaders claimed that opposition figures across the country were increasingly facing raids, investigations and arrests ahead of important political developments. They argued that such actions were attempts to create pressure on governments run by non-BJP parties.

Senior AAP leaders also defended Sanjeev Arora, stating that he had cooperated with investigators during earlier phases of the inquiry. The party maintained that the allegations against the minister had not yet been proven in court and accused the BJP of attempting to damage the image of the Punjab government.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party rejected allegations of political vendetta and insisted that the ED was functioning independently based on evidence gathered during the investigation. Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar said the arrest highlighted serious concerns regarding corruption and financial misconduct within the state administration. BJP leaders demanded transparency and accountability from the Punjab government over the allegations.

Sanjeev Arora, who previously served as a Rajya Sabha MP before entering state politics, became a prominent face in the Bhagwant Mann cabinet after winning the Ludhiana West Assembly constituency. Known for his business background, Arora had earlier come under ED scrutiny during previous searches linked to alleged financial irregularities.

Officials said the investigation remains ongoing and that additional raids, questioning and examination of financial records are likely in the coming days as the agency attempts to uncover the full scale of the suspected money laundering operation.