ED raids Punjab Minister Sanjeev Arora's premises for third time in a year
Synopsis
The ED has now raided Punjab Industry Minister Sanjeev Arora three times in under a year — twice in a single month — under PMLA, targeting four premises including his official ministerial residence. With Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann calling it BJP political vendetta and the SAD pointing to a ₹100 crore alleged GST fraud, the case is rapidly becoming a flashpoint in Punjab's political landscape.
Key Takeaways
ED searched four premises linked to Punjab Industry Minister Sanjeev Arora on 9 May 2025 under PMLA, 2002 .
This is the third ED raid on Arora-linked premises in under a year and the second in a month .
Searches covered Chandigarh (including his official ministerial residence) and Delhi-NCR .
SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia alleged the probe relates to Hampton Sky Realty Ltd and an alleged ₹100 crore fake GST racket .
CM Bhagwant Mann accused the BJP of misusing central agencies, calling it political targeting.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday, 9 May conducted searches at four premises linked to Punjab Industry Minister Sanjeev Arora and his associates under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The searches — covering locations in Chandigarh and the Delhi-NCR region — mark the third ED raid on Arora-linked premises in under a year, and the second within a single month.
What Was Searched
Among the four premises targeted was the official ministerial residence allotted to Arora as a Cabinet minister in Chandigarh. The ED is acting under PMLA provisions, which allow searches and seizures in connection with alleged money laundering offences. Officials confirmed the searches were simultaneously carried out across Chandigarh and Delhi-NCR.
Background: The Money Laundering Case
The probe traces back to 2024, when the ED first raided Arora — then a Rajya Sabha MP — in a case linked to the alleged conversion of industrial land for residential projects. The second round of searches was conducted in April 2025. According to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia, the current investigation is connected to Hampton Sky Realty Ltd and centres on an alleged ₹100 crore fake GST mobile phone purchase and export racket, involving alleged money laundering and round-tripping of funds from Dubai to India. Majithia alleged that fake GST bills from non-existent Delhi firms were used to claim fraudulent Input Tax Credit (ITC), export refunds, and duty drawback benefits, resulting in a
Point of View
Yet the absence of any reported seizure or arrest so far raises legitimate questions about outcomes. The AAP government's reflexive framing of every central agency action as BJP vendetta has become a political constant, but it does not address the specifics of the Hampton Sky Realty probe or the alleged GST fraud. What is missing from mainstream coverage is a clear accounting of what, if anything, the ED has actually found across three raids. Until that question is answered, both the agency's credibility and the minister's are in limbo.
NationPress
10 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the ED raid Punjab Industry Minister Sanjeev Arora's premises on 9 May 2025?
The ED conducted searches under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, as part of an ongoing probe into alleged money laundering linked to Sanjeev Arora and his associates. The investigation reportedly covers alleged industrial-to-residential land conversion and a ₹100 crore fake GST mobile phone purchase and export racket connected to Hampton Sky Realty Ltd.
How many times has the ED raided Sanjeev Arora?
Saturday's action marks the third ED raid on Arora-linked premises in under a year. The ED had previously raided his locations in 2024 and again in April 2025, making this the second raid within a single month.
What is the Hampton Sky Realty case?
According to SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia, Hampton Sky Realty Ltd is at the centre of the ED's probe. The alleged racket involves fake GST bills from non-existent Delhi firms used to claim fraudulent Input Tax Credit, export refunds, and duty drawback benefits, with funds allegedly round-tripped from Dubai to India.
What did Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann say about the ED raids?
CM Bhagwant Mann accused the BJP of misusing central agencies for political purposes. In a post on X, Mann wrote that the ED had visited Arora's house three times in a year without finding anything, and asserted that Punjab 'will never bow before Modi's tactics.'
Was anything recovered in the latest ED raid on Sanjeev Arora?
As of the latest available reports, no recovery or arrest has been publicly confirmed from Saturday's searches. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann claimed the agency had found nothing across all three raids, though the ED has not issued an official statement on the outcome of the 9 May operation.
