ED searches continue at Jalandhar businessman’s premises; political row persists

Jalandhar: Enforcement Directorate (ED) searches at the residence and office of Jalandhar-based businessman Amit Bajaj, a contractor associated with municipal projects and considered close to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), continued for a second day on Wednesday.Bajaj is engaged in works for the Jalandhar municipal corporation and other govt projects.The searches are part of an ongoing money laundering probe linked to Hampton Sky Realty Ltd, a company allegedly connected to former Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora and members of his family. Arora was arrested by the ED last month.ED sources said searches were conducted at six locations across Ludhiana and Jalandhar in Punjab, Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, and the Delhi-Noida region under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The premises searched included residences and business establishments linked to persons and entities under investigation.Meanwhile, the political controversy triggered by the raids continued, with the AAP alleging that central agencies were targeting Punjab's traders and the BJP accusing the incumbent party of attempting to communalise the issue.Former Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma, referring to remarks made by AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and chief minister Bhagwant Mann, posted on social media: "Do not ignite a fire you are incapable of extinguishing. Stop this filthy politics of dividing Punjab in the name of religion. Punjab follows the divine teaching given by the revered Gurus: recognise all humankind as one."