ED Raids on Sanjeev Arora Spark Fierce Political Clash, Bhagwant Mann Targets Centre
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday carried out coordinated searches at premises linked to Punjab Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora , triggering a strong political reaction from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann , who accused the Centre of “murdering democracy” and misusing central agencies against opposition ruled states.
According to officials, ED teams conducted searches at residential and official premises associated with Arora and others as part of an ongoing investigation. Locations in Ludhiana and Jalandhar were covered, with central paramilitary forces deployed for security during the operation.
The probe also extended to entities linked to Hampton Sky Realty Ltd. , associated with Arora’s son Kavya Arora , along with businessman Hemant Sood of Findoc Finvest and an alleged bookie Chandrasekhar Aggarwal , indicating a widening scope of investigation.
Reacting to the searches, Arora said he was “fully cooperating with the agencies” and expressed confidence that “ truth will prevail ,” describing himself as a responsible citizen.
However, the political confrontation escalated soon after, with CM Mann launching a sharp attack on the BJP led Centre. Addressing the media in Chandigarh, he alleged that central agencies were being used as political tools ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections .
Mann also referred to recent ED searches at premises linked to AAP Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Kumar Mittal and his educational institutions, saying individuals were being labelled “tainted overnight” due to their political identity. He highlighted that Mittal’s Lovely Professional University serves thousands of students, including those from over 35 countries.
On the raids involving Arora, Mann said the minister had been suddenly brought under suspicion and accused the Centre of attempting to weaken opposition parties through investigative pressure.
He alleged that the BJP was targeting AAP due to its rapid expansion and lack of electoral strength in Punjab, claiming the party was relying on “ED driven politics” rather than public support.
“This is not democracy, this is dictatorship,” Mann said, adding that opposition ruled states were facing coordinated pressure through central agencies.
He further expanded his criticism, alleging similar patterns of action in other states, and said such measures reflected an attempt to intimidate political opponents rather than ensure justice. Mann also accused the Centre of ignoring governance priorities such as employment, education, and healthcare , while focusing on political operations.
Despite the strong allegations, Mann asserted that AAP would not be intimidated , saying the party would continue to face investigations politically and remain committed to “truth and justice.”
The ED has not issued a detailed statement on the latest searches so far. The investigation is ongoing, and further developments are expected as the agency examines the material collected during the raids.