Chandigarh, May 9 (PTI) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday termed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid at minister Sanjeev Arora's residence here and his subsequent arrest as a politically motivated act.

The AAP strongly condemned the BJP-led central government, alleging that whenever the BJP feels it is losing political ground in elections, it conspires to suppress the opposition's voice by unleashing investigative agencies against them. They claimed that the action against Sanjeev Arora is part of a broader agenda of political vendetta.

The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday arrested Punjab industries minister Sanjeev Arora following raids in connection with an alleged Rs 100 crore GST fraud-related money laundering case involving certain entities linked to him, officials said.

According to officials, Arora (62) was taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following early morning raids at his official residence in Chandigarh's Sector 2.

After his arrest, the process to bring him to Delhi commenced. Arora was taken in a vehicle, which was among a cavalcade of vehicles that left his residence here following his arrest. He will be brought to Delhi, where the case is registered, and the agency will seek his remand for custodial interrogation, officials said.

Punjab's Health Minister Balbir Singh alleged that 20 vehicles were mobilised for the raid, suggesting the level of resources used was excessive, as if Arora were a "terrorist." Punjab's Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema stated, "Just as the BJP misused the machinery of ED, CBI and other central agencies in West Bengal and other states to manipulate elections and form governments, the same dirty game is now being played in Punjab. This is not merely a raid on Sanjeev Arora, but an attack on Punjab and the pride of three crore Punjabis. Frustrated by its repeated failures, the BJP is attacking Punjab through central agencies." Questioning the role of central agencies, Cheema said, "BJP's sole agenda is to eliminate opposition parties from the country.

"Earlier (AAP leader) Aman Arora was targeted, and now ED has once again been used against Sanjeev Arora. Intoxicated with power, the BJP is misusing constitutional institutions to intimidate opposition leaders so that no one dares to raise their voice against it." Cheema further added, "BJP's actions are part of a deep conspiracy to destroy the Constitution framed by Babasaheb Dr B R Ambedkar. BJP is directly attacking the Constitution, something that the Aam Aadmi Party and the people of Punjab will never allow to succeed. The people of Punjab fully understand the BJP's malicious intentions. The three crore people of Punjab stand united. No matter how hard the BJP tries, it will continue to face crushing defeats on Punjab's soil. We will strongly oppose this dictatorship and will never bow down." Minister and AAP state chief Aman Arora stated, "BJP is making desperate attempts to establish political ground in Punjab by misusing central agencies. Astonishingly, this is the third raid at Sanjeev Arora's residence within a year and the second within just ten days. These raids are not about investigation but are merely politics of intimidation. BJP's only objective is to scare and defame Aam Aadmi Party leaders." Targeting the Central Government, he said, the BJP and its agencies should not remain under any misconception as Punjab is the "land of Gurus and martyrs".

"If even Aurangzeb could not crush its spirit, how can the BJP do so? This is the land of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh and Udham Singh, whom even the British could not bend. The people of Punjab are watching everything and will give a befitting reply to this dictatorship at the right time," he said. Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian also accused the BJP of using central agencies as a shield for its dirty politics, asserting that "the revolutionary land of Punjab will never accept this." AAP leaders questioned the repeated raids, pointing out that the ED has conducted raids at Sanjeev Arora's residence three times within a year and twice in a month, with nothing recovered despite the repeated actions. This, they argue, proves that the raids are not aimed at investigating corruption but at harassing the honest members of the Aam Aadmi Party. Hitting out at the BJP, they said their only mantra is either join the BJP or prepare to go to jail. They emphasised that no matter how many raids the BJP conducts, they will not bow down. "BJP's conspiracies will never be allowed to succeed in Punjab", they said.

AAP leaders affirmed their loyalty, stating they are "dedicated soldiers of Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and will give a fitting reply to the BJP's dictatorship." PTI SUN MPL MPL