Punjab AAP Minister Sanjeev Arora Arrested in Chandigarh, ED Granted 7-Day Remand

May 10, 2026

Punjab Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government minister Sanjeev Arora has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case. The team detained him during a raid at his official residence in Sector 2, Chandigarh, on Saturday morning.

After questioning, he was taken to Delhi in the evening and produced in a Gurugram court that night, where the ED granted him 7-day remand. The minister will now appear in court again on May 16.

Arrest After 10 Hours of Questioning

According to sources, the ED interrogated the minister for approximately 10 hours. He was then taken to Delhi in vehicles with Chandigarh and Haryana registration numbers. After the hearing, the court granted the investigating agency 7 days’ custody for further questioning.

AAP Protests and Street Demonstrations

Following the arrests, AAP workers and leaders in Punjab have taken to the streets. Party leader Harpal Singh Cheema has called for protests against the BJP and the siege of district headquarters across the state. Following this, protests have erupted at several locations.

During a protest in Ludhiana, clashes and scuffles were witnessed between AAP and BJP workers, forcing police to control the situation.

Kejriwal’s Allegations Against the Central Government

AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the central government is misusing investigative agencies. He said the ED is being used to suppress political opponents, rather than investigate genuine money laundering cases.

ED’s Allegations and Claims of Financial Misappropriation

The ED has claimed that approximately ₹157.12 crore worth of fake sales and exports were made through shell companies through the minister’s companies. According to the investigating agency, the government treasury was defrauded through fake GST bills, input tax credits, and export refunds.

Furthermore, allegations of round-tripping of illegal funds from Dubai to India using shell companies have also been made.

Defense Claims

The minister’s lawyer stated that the ED had sought a 10-day remand, but the court granted seven days. He alleged that the action was politically motivated and that no thorough investigation was conducted before the arrest. He also stated that the agency found nothing significant in the initial raids.