CHANDIGARH, May 9 — Enforcement Directorate officials arrested Punjab Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora on Saturday following an extensive search of his Sector 2 residence. The agency stated that the arrest is linked to a money laundering investigation involving a sophisticated network of fraudulent GST purchases and international fund transfers.
The operation began in the early hours of Saturday morning when approximately 20 officials arrived at the minister’s home. This marks the third search conducted on the lawmaker in recent weeks. Federal investigators maintained that the probe focuses on a scheme where fake GST purchase bills for mobile phones, worth more than ₹100 crore, were allegedly used to facilitate round-tripping of funds from Dubai to India.
The Enforcement Directorate affirmed that the fraudulent transactions involved non-existent firms in Delhi. These shell entities were utilized to claim fake Input Tax Credit and GST refunds on exports, resulting in significant losses to the public exchequer, an agency official stated. He declared that these activities were designed for personal enrichment and the illegitimate movement of capital.
While the Aam Aadmi Party leadership has voiced strong support for the minister, the agency maintained that the evidence necessitated immediate detention. Arora, who oversees the Power and Industries portfolios, is recognized as a primary liaison between the state government and the industrial sector. Investigators affirmed that searches were also carried out at premises in Delhi and Gurugram tied to the minister’s family-promoted real estate firm.
