AAP MLA Raman Arora Arrested Again in Extortion Case After Bail

September 4, 2025

Jalandhar: Just a day after being granted bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Jalandhar Central, Raman Arora, was rearrested by the Jalandhar commissionerate police on Thursday in a fresh case involving extortion and criminal intimidation.

The legislator, who was yet to be released from Nabha jail, was brought to a local court on a production warrant and remanded to three days’ police custody.

New Extortion Charges Filed

A fresh First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against Arora on August 23 at Rama Mandi police station, accusing him of extorting money from a Jalandhar-based parking lot contractor, Ramesh Kumar.

The contractor alleged that Arora demanded monthly payments of ₹30,000.

The case has been registered under Sections 308(2) (extortion by threatening grievous hurt), 308(6) (extortion by threatening false accusations of serious crimes), and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Arora’s lawyer, Naveen Chadha, stated that they were informed of the new case only on Thursday morning and are yet to receive a detailed copy of the FIR.

Allegations of Political Vendetta

As he was escorted out of the Jalandhar court complex, Arora claimed the charges were fabricated, accusing the government of deliberately framing him in a false case.

Once a close associate of AAP’s top leadership, including Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and state president Aman Arora, the MLA has been under scrutiny by state agencies following multiple complaints of corruption and extortion.

Previous Corruption Probe

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) had arrested Arora on May 23 after a month-long investigation into a corruption and extortion racket allegedly operated under his patronage.

The VB filed a 900-page chargesheet, accusing Arora of misusing his political influence to extract undue financial gains from local traders, industrialists, and real estate developers.

The chargesheet detailed how Arora, along with assistant town planner Sukhdev Vashisht, targeted commercial and residential construction projects, issuing violation notices and resolving them in exchange for bribes.

Evidence and Seizures

During a seven-hour raid on Arora’s residence on May 23, the VB recovered ₹6 lakh in cash, 1.2 kg of gold ornaments, and incriminating documents, including 75-80 notices allegedly issued as part of the extortion racket.

The investigation also involved questioning police officials stationed in Arora’s constituency since April 2022.

The Jalandhar commissionerate police, led by Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur Randhawa, remained tight-lipped, stating that further details of the case would be shared later.