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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday carried out raids at multiple locations linked to Punjab Power Minister and AAP MLA Sanjeev Arora in connection with an alleged large-scale money laundering and fake GST transactions case.
The searches were conducted at five premises in Delhi, Gurugram and Chandigarh, including the office premises of Hampton Sky Realty Limited and properties associated with Arora and his business associates.
Fake GST transactions worth over Rs 100 crore suspected
According to the ED, Sanjeev Arora allegedly carried out large-scale money laundering through fake GST purchases of mobile phones worth more than Rs 100 crore using his company. The agency suspects that illegitimate funds were routed from Dubai to India through export transactions.
Investigators alleged that fake GST purchase bills were generated from non-existent firms in Delhi to claim fraudulent input tax credit, GST refunds on export credit and duty drawbacks, causing significant losses to the exchequer while enriching individuals involved in the operation.
The ED is also probing allegations related to illegal foreign transactions, hawala dealings, online betting operations and real estate investments. Sources said the agency had earlier conducted searches under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) at properties linked to Arora and his associates.
Searches were conducted in Ludhiana and Jalandhar at the residences and offices of Sanjeev Arora, his son Kavya Arora, businessman Hemant Sood and Chandrashekhar Agrawal.
According to investigating agencies, Hampton Sky Realty Limited, formerly known as Ritesh Properties and Industries Limited, is involved in major real estate and infrastructure projects in Punjab. The agency suspects irregularities, including illegal land use changes, fake sales to inflate share prices, insider trading and routing of illegal foreign funds into India.
ED suspects hawala and online betting links
The ED investigation has also revealed alleged involvement of Ludhiana based businessman Hemant Sood in routing funds from Dubai and the UAE back into India. His company, Findoc Finvest Private Limited, is accused of facilitating suspicious hawala and foreign investment-related transactions.
Meanwhile, Jalandhar businessman Chandrashekhar Agrawal has been accused of running an online betting and hawala network through a platform named “Khiladi Book.” Agencies claim that money generated through betting activities was sent abroad and later invested in Indian real estate ventures.
The ED suspects that Sanjeev Arora used political influence to provide protection to illegal betting syndicates in Punjab and helped legitimise black money. The agency is also probing allegations of fake export bills and transactions through bogus GST firms.
CM Bhagwant Mann accuses BJP of misusing agencies
Reacting to the ED action, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accused the BJP of misusing central agencies for political purposes.
Addressing a press conference in Sangrur, Mann alleged that agencies like the ED, CBI and Income Tax Department were being used as “weapons” against opposition parties across the country. He claimed Punjab had now become the BJP’s latest target.
“The purpose of ED raids is not to recover black money or documents. They aim to pressure people into joining the BJP by telling them everything will be forgiven if they switch sides,” Mann alleged.
The Chief Minister also referred to the recent raids on AAP Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal and claimed the action stopped after Mittal joined the BJP. Mann further stated that this was the third ED raid on Sanjeev Arora within a year and the second such action this month.
Punjab will not bow to pressure, says Mann
Bhagwant Mann asserted that such political tactics may work in other states but would not succeed in Punjab.
“This is Punjab. People here do not get scared by threats and intimidation,” he said, while recalling the farmers’ protest against the now repealed farm laws, which forced the Centre to withdraw the legislation.
Mann also accused the BJP of repeatedly targeting Punjab on issues related to Chandigarh, river water sharing and Punjab University. He alleged that the BJP attempts to create divisions among communities for political gain and said such politics would not work in Punjab.
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