Raghav Chadha questions AAP after ED arrests Sanjeev Arora (Img: Internet)
New Delhi: The arrest of Punjab minister and senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjeev Arora by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified the political battle in the state ahead of next year’s Assembly elections.
Former AAP leader and current BJP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha launched a sharp attack on the Punjab government after the arrest, accusing the ruling party of betraying the people of the state.
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Arora was arrested on Saturday following extensive ED searches linked to an alleged GST fraud and money laundering case involving fake invoices and export-related transactions.
Reacting to the ED action, Chadha alleged that AAP had failed to deliver on its promises to Punjab and instead weakened the state financially.
He said the party came to power promising a prosperous “Rangla Punjab” but had instead pushed the state towards economic distress. Chadha also claimed that recent developments reflected a “betrayal of Punjabiyat.”
The BJP MP referred to reports suggesting that cash was allegedly thrown from a balcony during ED raids and claimed the case pointed to large-scale financial irregularities.
According to investigators, the ED is probing an alleged fake GST billing and export fraud case involving mobile phone transactions.
Officials claim shell companies based in Delhi-NCR were allegedly used to generate fake invoices and claim input tax credit and export refunds fraudulently. The agency suspects that over ₹100 crore was routed through entities linked to the UAE as part of the alleged money laundering network.
The ED had earlier conducted multiple raids linked to Sanjeev Arora and associated companies over the past year.
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Raghav Chadha, who recently joined the BJP along with several former AAP leaders, also criticised the party’s internal functioning.
He claimed leaders who attempted to raise concerns within the party were sidelined and alleged that AAP had developed a “toxic work environment.” Chadha said several MPs left the party because they believed it was being controlled by “corrupt and compromised people.”
The latest controversy has added fresh pressure on the AAP government in Punjab, with opposition parties likely to intensify attacks in the run-up to the next Assembly elections. AAP leaders, meanwhile, have repeatedly accused central agencies of being misused for political targeting, a charge the BJP has denied.
