ED raids LPU, 8 other locations owned by AAP MP who replaced Raghav Chadha in Rajya Sabha

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted searches at multiple business entities linked to Ashok Kumar Mittal , a Rajya Sabha MP of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) , in Punjab under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) , officials said. Mittal, a 61-year-old businessman and educationist heading the Lovely Group, including Lovely Professional University (LPU) , was recently appointed AAP’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, replacing Raghav Chadha .

Officials said searches covered 8–9 locations across Punjab and Gurugram, including Jalandhar and Phagwara, targeting business premises, residences and a farmhouse linked to Mittal and his family. Teams also visited the LPU campus, examining documents, financial records and digital data.

The ED action covered key Lovely Group entities including LPU, Lovely Autos, Lovely Sweets and the Lovely Distance Education Centre. Gurugram institutions Tetr College of Business and Masters’ Union College of Business were also searched. Sources said the probe involves suspected irregularities in financial transactions, fund flows and compliance issues, including foreign collaborations, NRI-linked fee inflows and regulatory adherence. Investigators are also reviewing fund utilisation, accounting practices and international partnerships. Premises linked to Mittal’s son and his brothers Ramesh Mittal and Naresh Mittal were also searched.

The development triggered a sharp political reaction from AAP, which alleged misuse of central agencies ahead of elections. AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said BJP had begun preparations for Punjab polls and warned of public backlash. Sanjay Singh said he would raise the issue in Parliament starting April 16.

AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar alleged a nexus between Raghav Chadha and BJP, claiming a meeting led to a decision on Z+ security for Chadha and raids on Mittal after replacing him. Chadha was later granted Z category security after Punjab withdrew protection.

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann called the raids politically motivated and linked them to election strategy. AAP’s Aman Arora tied the action to internal leadership changes and alleged a pattern of targeting dissenters. Officials said the FEMA probe continues into suspected foreign exchange irregularities and cross-border fund movements.