Punjab Minister Sanjeev Arora Breaks Down in Court as Custody is Extended Till June 1 in ₹100-Crore Money Laundering Case
In a high-voltage development that has shaken the political landscape of Punjab, a special PMLA court in Gurugram has remanded the state's sitting Power and Industries Minister, Sanjeev Arora, to judicial custody until June 1, 2026. The high-profile Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was produced before the court by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) following the completion of his custodial interrogation. Highly emotional scenes unfolded inside the courtroom as the powerful cabinet minister reportedly broke down and wept bitterly upon meeting his family members and hugging his daughter before being led away by security personnel.
Inside the Multi-Crore Scam: Fake GST Invoices and United Arab Emirates Links
The multi-agency crackdown on the senior minister stems from a massive financial investigation involving Hampton Sky Realty Limited, a corporation where Sanjeev Arora previously served as the Chairman and Managing Director. The financial probe agency has alleged that the company generated fake purchase invoices worth over ₹100 crore through a complex network of non-existent shell and dummy entities. According to the investigation, these bogus transactions were used to project artificial sales of mobile phones and claim illegal GST refunds, while simultaneously routing illegitimate funds worth over ₹102 crore between Dubai and India under false pretenses.
Accusations of Non-Cooperation: ED Claims the Minister is Misleading the Investigation
During the tense courtroom proceedings, the central probe agency leveled serious allegations against the jailed minister, asserting that he has been intentionally misleading investigators throughout his custodial remand. According to the agency's official submissions, Sanjeev Arora repeatedly denied any operational knowledge of the individuals or dummy suppliers from whom his former company supposedly purchased mobile phones. The agency pointed out that the minister attempted to shift the blame onto the company's Chief Financial Officer and other authorized signatories, which directly contradicts authentic banking records and corporate documents seized during early morning raids.
The Defense Strikes Back: Alleging Political Vendetta and Human Rights Violations
Arguing aggressively against the extended detention, the legal counsel representing Sanjeev Arora pushed back by approaching the High Court to challenge the legality of the arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The defense team has filed petitions seeking the complete quashing of the remand orders, alleging a blatant violation of statutory safeguards and fundamental rights. Furthermore, the defense flagged the minister's deteriorating health condition, noting that he is a Grade-II diabetes patient. The court subsequently directed the authorities at Bhondsi Jail in Gurugram to ensure the strict provision of prescribed medicines and allow a blood-glucose monitoring device.
Political Aftershocks: AAP Blams Central Government for Targeting Punjab Leadership
The high-profile arrest has ignited an explosive political slugfest between the ruling state government and the center. Senior leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party have strongly rallied behind their embattled minister, calling the intensive crackdown a textbook case of political vendetta and an abuse of central investigative agencies ahead of upcoming political assessments. Party spokespersons asserted that the administration will not be intimidated by these aggressive tactics, while opposition benches have intensified their demands, calling for the immediate dismissal of the arrested leader from the state cabinet to ensure an unbiased judicial process.
