AAP Punjab chief challenges ED, claims BJP received donation from the accused

Amid ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids across Punjab, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state president and cabinet minister Aman Arora has issued a bold challenge to the central agency. The controversy erupted following allegations by the ED linking Arora to Gaurav Dhir, an accused in a high-profile money laundering case.

Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, Arora acknowledged his friendship with Dhir but distanced himself from any professional dealings. “Gaurav Dhir is a friend, but I have no connection to his business transactions. I challenge the ED to summon me for questioning and examine my mobile records. I have nothing to hide,” Arora stated. He further turned the tables on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that Suresh Bajaj, another accused in the Suntech City case, had donated ₹2.5 lakh to the BJP in 2023.

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The investigation, which has seen raids continue for over 24 hours at multiple real estate groups in Mohali, took a dramatic turn when bags of cash were reportedly thrown from the ninth floor of a residential building during the search. Witnesses reported seeing ₹500 notes fluttering in the air after a bag burst. The ED has confirmed the recovery of approximately ₹1 crore in cash so far.

At the heart of the probe is a complex web of fraud involving the fraudulent acquisition of Change of Land Use (CLU) certificates. According to the ED, Suresh Kumar Bajaj and Ajay Sehgal of the Indian Cooperative Housing Building Society allegedly forged consent letters and signatures for 30.5 acres of land to mislead authorities. They are accused of collecting over ₹150 crore from investors without valid sale deeds. Additionally, Altus Space Builders Private Limited is under scrutiny for misleading buyers regarding project approvals, leading to its promoter, Mohinder Singh, being declared a proclaimed offender.

The political temperature has risen as opposition leaders allege links between IT businessman Nitin Gohil and Rajbir Singh Ghumman, OSD to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. While the CM has clarified in Amritsar that the government has no connection to those being raided, the opposition continues to target the administration over claims of “political protection” provided by intermediaries to the accused. The ED maintains that the case involves massive money laundering and the systematic defrauding of landowners and homebuyers.