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ED arrests Punjab minister in alleged Rs 100 crore GST fraud case (Img: Internet)
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday arrested Punjab minister and senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjeev Arora in connection with an alleged fake GST billing and money laundering case involving transactions worth more than Rs 100 crore.
Officials said the arrest came after the agency carried out searches for over eight hours at multiple locations linked to Arora and associated entities in Delhi, Gurugram and Chandigarh. Arora, who represents the Ludhiana West Assembly constituency, was questioned at his residence before being taken into custody.
According to investigators, the case involves alleged fake GST purchases related to mobile phones and exports used to route funds from Dubai back into India.
The ED claims that several fake invoices were generated using non-existent firms in Delhi to fraudulently claim input tax credit (ITC), GST refunds and export duty benefits.
Officials suspect the transactions were part of a larger money laundering network involving overseas fund routing and bogus export activities. The agency also searched premises connected to Hampton Sky Realty Limited and other businesses allegedly linked to the minister.
This is the second major action against Arora within a month. On April 17, the ED had conducted searches at locations linked to him under provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
Investigators stated that further examination of the financial trail and associated companies is continuing. Arora is expected to be produced before a local court, where the ED may seek custody for further interrogation.
The arrest triggered strong reactions from AAP leaders, who accused the BJP-led central government of misusing probe agencies against opposition parties.
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AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal alleged that agencies like the ED and CBI are being used to pressure opposition leaders and weaken rival political parties.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also criticised the action, claiming that states approaching elections frequently witness increased raids by central agencies. Mann alleged that Punjab has become the BJP’s latest political target and questioned the timing of repeated searches involving AAP leaders.
The ED has maintained that the probe is focused on alleged financial irregularities, fake GST claims and suspected laundering of funds through export transactions. Further investigation into the case is currently underway.
