Summary of this article
A Gurugram court sent Sanjeev Arora to seven-day Enforcement Directorate custody in a money laundering case
The ED alleged fake GST purchases of mobile phones worth over ₹100 crore and fraudulent Input Tax Credit claims using non-existent firms
Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal termed the ED action politically motivated, while the BJP accused AAP of corruption
In a money laundering case, a Gurugram court placed Punjab's Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora under seven days of ED detention, sources said on Sunday.
After raids, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) detained 62-year-old Arora from his official Chandigarh residence on Saturday night in connection with a GST fraud case.
Additionally, the central agency had checked the Gurugram location of Hampton Sky Realty Ltd., a business connected to Arora. The company said it had faith in the legal process and was fully cooperating with all the statutory authorities.
According to the officials, Arora was transported on vehicle from Chandigarh to Gurugram, Haryana, by ED agents.
Arora was placed under seven days of ED detention by the Gurugram special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court. They said that the agency had requested a 10-day detention for him.
Reporters were informed by the minister's attorney that Arora was arrested on May 9 after the ED filed the complaint on May 5. He claimed this was a "politically motivated" case.
The investigation under the PMLA, according to the ED, concerns "fake" GST purchases of mobile phones valued at over Rs 100 crore and their subsequent exports to India using "round trip" purportedly illegitimate funds from Dubai.
The agency alleged that multiple fake GST purchase invoices were acquired from "non-existing" firms in Delhi to falsely claim Input Tax Credit (ITC).
Arvind Kejriwal, the leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and Bhagwant Mann, the chief minister of Punjab, denounced the ED move and accused the Center of using organisations like the Central Bureau of Investigation and the ED as "weapons" to intimidate opposition politicians into joining the BJP.
The BJP hit back, saying Kejriwal and his party were rattled as they knew that "their days are numbered in Punjab".
