ED Raids on Punjab Minister Trigger AAP-BJP War of Words

The Enforcement Directorate conducted fresh searches at five locations linked to Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora, including his official residence in Chandigarh, Saturday, as part of a money laundering investigation. AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using central agencies to target opposition leaders, comparing him to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in a post on X and at a press conference.

BJP spokesperson R P Singh defended the ED's actions as legitimate anti-corruption measures, not political targeting, and accused the AAP government in Punjab of widespread corruption, lawlessness, and suppressing dissent. Singh countered Kejriwal's Aurangzeb comparison by alleging that it was Kejriwal whose actions resembled those of the Mughal ruler.

Former AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, who severed ties with the party along with six others, alleged internal suppression of corruption concerns and claimed evidence pointed to round-tripping of funds through entities in the UAE, Canada, and Australia. He stated that the people of Punjab would deliver justice in the 2027 assembly elections.

The ED's investigation remains ongoing, with no immediate arrests reported from the raids. The Punjab government has not issued an official statement, while the BJP has called for accountability, and AAP leaders continue to denounce the raids as politically motivated.