Phagwara, April 15: The Enforcement Directorate carried out searches at the Lovely Professional University campus in Phagwara and other properties associated with the Lovely Group on Wednesday morning. The action, conducted by the federal agency’s Jalandhar and Chandigarh teams, reportedly pertains to an ongoing investigation into alleged violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
Officials stated that the raids targeted various business entities under the Lovely Group, which is owned by Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Kumar Mittal and his brothers, Ramesh and Naresh Mittal. In addition to the university grounds, the probe extended to the group’s sweets shops, automotive dealerships, a distance education center, and the private residences of the owners.
“The federal agency has sought no assistance from the local police,” an official maintained regarding the early morning operation.
The searches occur shortly after Ashok Mittal was appointed as the AAP’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, taking over the position previously held by Raghav Chadha. While some observers pointed toward internal party shifts, Mittal had previously asserted that his elevation was a routine procedural change within the democratic structure of the party.
In response to the development, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann criticized the timing of the searches. He stated that the action was a reflection of specific political styles at the federal level. Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also commented on the situation, suggesting that such measures were related to upcoming electoral cycles in the state and maintained that the people of Punjab would respond appropriately.
