Minister Sanjeev Arora sent to 14-day judicial custody

A court in Gurugram sent Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora to two weeks’ judicial custody in an alleged Rs 100-crore money laundering and GST fraud case linked to suspicious property deals and shell company transactions

Gurugram: Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora was sent to judicial custody for two weeks by a court here on Monday in an alleged Rs 100-crore money laundering case. Arora was produced before the court by the Enforcement Directorate after the completion of his two-day extended remand, said an official.

The minister’s next appearance will be on June 1st. According to his lawyer, the hearing will be conducted virtually. According to officials, the minister’s questioning has been completed and the ED is now preparing to file a charge sheet.

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The 62-year-old Aam Aadmi Party leader was arrested by the ED on May 9 from his official residence in Chandigarh after raids were carried out against him in an alleged Rs 100 crore GST fraud case linked to the sale of mobile phones.

On monday, a visibly emotional Arora was seen meeting his family members before being taken to jail.
It is alleged that Arora purchased property worth crores of rupees in Gurugram, involving suspicious transactions. The ED claims that the raids yielded crucial documents related to financial transactions and suspicious investments. He is accused of routing money through shell companies and purchasing benami properties. The lawyer said that the ED has also included the minister’s family in the investigation by issuing summons and notices.

Some family members were called for questioning. They were sent back after being quizzed, he said. Following his arrest, he was produced before the Gurugram Sessions Court and remanded in ED custody for seven days.

Arora’s lawyer had claimed that the ED case against his client was “false and frivolous” and “no prima facie evidence” was collected by the investigating officer before arresting him. He was subsequently produced before the court on Saturday and the court extended his ED remand by two days.