ED raids at business entities linked to AAP MP Ashok Mittal in Punjab

The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday conducted raids at business entities linked to AAP Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal in Punjab as part of a FEMA probe, offiicials said.

Mittal, a 61-year-old businessman and educationist who heads the Lovely Group including an university by this name, was recently made the deputy leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Rajya Sabha, replacing Raghav Chadha.

Officials said the searches are being conducted at multiple business entities linked to Mittal in Jalandhar and Phagwara apart from some other locations.

The action is being undertaken under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), they said.

Punjab CM condemns raids

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann strongly condemned the Enforcement Directorate's raids at business entities linked to AAP Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal, alleging that the BJP has begun its "preparations" for the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections.

Reacting to the raids, Mann, in a post on X in Hindi, said, "BJP begins preparations for Punjab elections. ED raids at the home and university of AAP Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal... typical Modi style."

Quoting a well-known couplet in the same post, the chief minister wrote, "Hum vo patte nahin, jo shakh se tut kar gir jayenge. Andhiyon ko keh do apni aukaat mein rahen" (We are not leaves that will fall off the branch; tell the storms to remain within their limits)."