The Enforcement Directorate conducted raids at the official residence of Punjab Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora (AAP) in Chandigarh on Saturday.
The operation signals an escalation in the ongoing legal and political friction between the Aam Aadmi Party-led state government and the BJP-led central government. This tension comes as both parties prepare for the 2027 Assembly polls.
Investigators searched Arora's residence in Sector Two and other linked premises as part of a money-laundering probe [1], [2]. The agency is investigating allegations involving fake Goods and Services Tax (GST) purchases valued at over Rs 100 crore [2].
According to the agency, the investigation also focuses on the round-tripping of funds from Dubai to India [1], [2]. This marks the second raid conducted by the Enforcement Directorate targeting the minister within a single month [1].
The Aam Aadmi Party said the searches are politically motivated actions by the central government [1]. The agency's focus on GST fraud and international fund transfers suggests a broader effort to trace the movement of illicit capital within the state's political infrastructure.
Official representatives from the Enforcement Directorate have not provided further details on the evidence recovered during the searches. The investigation remains active as the agency continues to examine financial records, and linked properties [2].
“The Enforcement Directorate conducted raids at the official residence of Punjab Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora (AAP).”
The repeated targeting of a high-ranking Punjab official by the Enforcement Directorate underscores the weaponization of financial probes in Indian state-center relations. By focusing on GST fraud and international fund transfers, the central government is applying pressure on the AAP administration ahead of the 2027 elections, while the AAP uses these raids to build a narrative of political persecution.
