Chandigarh, May 9, 2026 (Yes Punjab News):
In a major political development ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, Punjab Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora was on Saturday arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) following extensive raids conducted at multiple premises linked to him in Chandigarh, Delhi and Gurugram.
The ED teams had begun searches early Saturday morning, including at the minister’s official residence, House No. 43 in Sector 2, Chandigarh, where the proceedings were carried out in his presence. Simultaneous searches were also conducted at other locations associated with the senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader.
Arora, considered one of the high-profile faces in the Punjab Cabinet, was holding key portfolios including Industry and Commerce, Power, Local Government and Investment Promotion. His arrest is expected to trigger major political repercussions in the state, particularly at a time when political activity has already started intensifying ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections scheduled in early 2027.
Sources said the ED action continued throughout the day before the agency formally placed the minister under arrest late in the evening. However, the Enforcement Directorate had not immediately issued a detailed official statement regarding the grounds of arrest till the filing of this report.
This is the second major ED action against premises linked to Arora within around three weeks and reportedly the third such operation connected to him in the past one year. Earlier, the ED had also conducted searches at locations associated with him in Ludhiana.
The latest developments come close on the heels of ED raids conducted at certain builder-linked premises in Kharar, reportedly in connection with persons allegedly linked to influential political circles in Punjab.
Meanwhile, the arrest has sparked a sharp political reaction from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party. AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann strongly criticized the BJP-led Centre and accused it of misusing central agencies for political purposes.
Both leaders termed the ED action as “political vendetta” and “witch-hunting”, alleging that opposition leaders were being selectively targeted ahead of crucial elections. The party maintained that the action was politically motivated and aimed at weakening the AAP government in Punjab.
The arrest of a sitting Punjab Cabinet Minister by the ED is likely to intensify the political confrontation between the AAP and the BJP in the coming days, while opposition parties are also expected to corner the Punjab government over the development.
Further details regarding the allegations, possible remand proceedings and the ED’s next course of action are awaited.
Also Read – ED Conducts Fresh Raids at Punjab Minister Sanjeev Arora’s Premises in Chandigarh, Delhi and Gurugram
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