ED, Income Tax conduct fresh searches at former Punjab minister Sunder Sham Arora’s residence
PTC Web Desk: The troubles for former Punjab Industries Minister Sunder Sham Arora have deepened once again as central probe agencies stepped up action against him on Wednesday. Officials from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), along with teams from the Income Tax Department, carried out searches at his residence in Hoshiarpur early in the morning.
According to sources, the teams arrived at Arora’s house in the pre-dawn hours under tight security arrangements. Officials sealed the premises and restricted all movement in and out of the house. Mobile phones and other electronic devices were reportedly taken into custody for forensic examination, while documents related to financial transactions are being scrutinised.
The former Punjab minister has been under the scanner for a long time in connection with multiple corruption-related cases. He is facing allegations linked to irregularities in the allotment of industrial plots and the accumulation of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. In the past, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau had also arrested him in connection with these cases.
The entry of the ED into the investigation indicates that the case has now widened to include suspected money laundering angles. Officials are examining whether proceeds of crime were generated and routed through illegal channels.
Investigators allege that during his tenure as a minister in the previous Congress-led government, Arora misused his official position to extend undue benefits to select firms. He is also accused of attempting to bribe a senior official with Rs 50 lakh, an incident in which he was allegedly caught red-handed.
The Income Tax Department is now analysing his financial records to assess discrepancies between declared income and actual assets. The agencies are also keeping a close watch on the role of his associates and business partners, with possible follow-up searches not being ruled out. As of now, there has been no official confirmation of any major recovery.
- PTC NEWS
