On Friday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) executed searches at the residences and offices of Sanjeev Arora, a cabinet minister in Punjab, along with his son Kavya Arora and business partners, across 13 locations in Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh. The operation is part of a probe under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), focusing on allegations of money laundering, round-tripping of funds from the UAE, and connections to illegal betting syndicates. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann criticized the raids, labeling them an 'attack on democracy' and accusing the BJP-led central government of using federal agencies to intimidate the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Arora, who was traveling to Europe for the state's 'Invest Punjab' initiative during the raids, expressed his willingness to cooperate with the investigation, stating that he believes the truth will prevail. The ED is investigating financial irregularities linked to Arora's company, Hampton Sky Realty Ltd, including allegations of insider trading and illegal land-use changes. The agency has also tied Arora to Chander Shekhar Aggarwal, a businessman involved in a major scam and illegal betting operations. This latest action follows previous ED raids on Arora's properties, indicating ongoing scrutiny of his business dealings.