Jalandhar, June 3, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Jalandhar Central Raman Arora on Tuesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in Jalandhar in connection with an ongoing money laundering investigation linked to corruption and extortion cases registered against him last year.
Raman Arora reached the ED’s regional office at around 11.15 am and joined the investigation after being summoned by the federal agency. Sources said he had also been asked to furnish certain documents related to the probe.
The Enforcement Directorate is investigating the matter under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The central agency’s investigation stems from two criminal cases registered against the MLA by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau and Jalandhar Police in 2025.
According to officials, the ED is probing the alleged proceeds of crime generated through suspected extortion and corruption activities and examining the financial trail connected with the alleged illegal operations.
The probe relates primarily to allegations that Raman Arora, in collusion with officials of the Municipal Corporation, including an Assistant Town Planner and a building branch inspector, orchestrated an alleged extortion racket involving fake building violation notices issued to traders, businessmen and property owners.
On May 23 last year, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau arrested Raman Arora in a Prevention of Corruption Act case involving former Assistant Town Planner Sukhdev Vashisht. According to the Vigilance Bureau FIR, Vashisht was allegedly caught demanding a bribe of Rs 30,000, while Arora was accused of using officials to issue bogus notices and extort money from targeted individuals.
The MLA is currently facing two separate criminal cases. One case registered by the Vigilance Bureau includes charges under Sections 238, 308(2) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
A second FIR registered at Rama Mandi police station pertains to the alleged extortion of a parking contractor and includes charges under Sections 308(2), 308(6) and 351 of the BNS relating to extortion, intimidation and threats.
After securing bail from the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the Vigilance Bureau case on September 3 last year, Arora was immediately re-arrested in the second extortion case registered by Jalandhar Police. He was subsequently granted bail in that case as well on September 22 after spending nearly four months in jail.
In its extensive chargesheet running into nearly 900 pages, the Vigilance Bureau accused Raman Arora of allegedly misusing his political influence to extort money from local traders and owners of commercial properties.
The chargesheet alleged that notices regarding building violations were issued to residential and commercial projects and later “settled” after alleged payment of bribes. According to the investigation, builders and property owners were allegedly directed to approach the MLA for settlement of the cases.
During raids conducted at Arora’s residence on May 23 last year, the Vigilance Bureau claimed to have recovered Rs 6 lakh in cash, around 1.2 kg of gold ornaments and several incriminating documents. Officials also alleged that 75 to 80 violation notices linked to the alleged racket were recovered during the searches.
The chargesheet further alleged that victims were intimidated with threats of stringent action from enforcement agencies such as the Vigilance Bureau and the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA). Investigators claimed that initial demands in several cases allegedly ranged around Rs 10 lakh before settlements were reportedly finalised between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 5 lakh.
The ED’s action against Raman Arora comes amid increasing scrutiny of several AAP leaders by central agencies in recent months. Earlier, Punjab minister Aman Arora figured in an ED probe related to an alleged change-of-land-use (CLU) fraud case, while former minister Sanjeev Arora was arrested by the ED last month in a GST fraud-linked money laundering case.
Political circles within the ruling party are also closely watching developments in the Raman Arora case. Sources suggest that despite his release from jail last year, the MLA remained politically sidelined within the party for several months.
Party insiders claimed that Arora was allegedly not allowed to actively engage in public programmes or endorse official documents for some time after his release. During this period, AAP halqa in-charge Nitin Kohli reportedly took the lead in constituency-level political activities.
Raman Arora has not yet issued any public statement regarding Tuesday’s questioning by the Enforcement Directorate.
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