ED raids premises linked to former Punjab minister Sunder Sham Arora
The searches in Punjab and Chandigarh are part of a money laundering investigation involving the former minister and his son.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at several locations in Chandigarh and Punjab on Monday involving former Congress minister Sunder Sham Arora, his son Prateek Arora, and their business associates, according to the Hindustan Times.
The agency carried out these actions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following the arrest of Jaswinder Singh Randhawa, the former general manager of the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC), two days ago.
Teams cordoned off Arora’s residence on Jodha Mall Road in Hoshiarpur on Monday morning. Simultaneous searches also took place at locations connected to businessman Sanjeev Juneja, the Marbella Group, and the Gulmohar Township Group.
Arora's legal counsel, HS Saini, stated that the raiding team requested documents concerning disproportionate assets and the 2023 PSIEC plot allotment investigation. Saini added that all requested records were handed over.
The probe stems from Punjab Vigilance Bureau cases involving alleged corruption and irregularities in PSIEC plot allotments. One allegation involves the sale of 31 acres of JCT Electronics land in Mohali to a private realtor during Arora's time as minister.
Arora is currently out on bail for a pending case involving an alleged attempt to bribe an official with ₹50 lakh. Earlier this year, income tax authorities also conducted a 62-hour search at his home.