AAP leader Sanjeev Arora (file photo)

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate The (ED) on Saturday arrested Punjab Minister Sanjeev Arora in connection with the ongoing money laundering probe of Rs 100 crore linked to alleged fraudulent Goods and Services Tax (GST) transactions, officials said.Read this also ED raids Punjab Minister Sanjeev Arora’s house in money laundering caseOfficials said Arora has been arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).The Punjab Industries Minister was taken into custody hours after the ED conducted raids at five locations in Delhi, Gurugram and Chandigarh, including his official residence in Chandigarh as well as premises linked to his associates and companies.Arora also faced ED action just days after a similar raid was conducted against then AAP Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Kumar Mittal in April. Shortly after, Mittal joined the BJP along with six other Rajya Sabha MPs from the party, including Raghav Chadha.Read this also ‘I am happy where I am’: Minister Sanjiv Arora refuses to leave AAP after ED raidsAccording to the ED, Arora and his associated entities prepared fake purchase bills for mobile phones through non-existent firms operating out of Delhi. Investigators suspect that these transactions were used to fraudulently claim input tax credit (ITC), GST refunds and export-related benefits.The central agency further alleged that the proceeds from the transactions were routed through exports and later “round-tripped” from Dubai to India in an attempt to launder the illicit funds.The 62-year-old leader is an MLA from Ludhiana West and a former Rajya Sabha member. His arrest comes less than a year before Punjab holds assembly elections in February 2027.AAP leaders have linked the action to the upcoming elections and accused the BJP-led Center of waging a campaign of political vendetta through central investigative agencies.“By conducting the ED raid, their aim is not to find any black money or illegal documents. Their aim is to send a message to the person being raided that if they join the BJP, everything will be forgiven,” Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwat Mann told reporters in Sangrur.Read this also ‘This is Punjab, not afraid of threats’: Bhagwant Mann after ED raid on ministerAAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal also attacked the BJP and claimed that the party would face political backlash in Punjab.“Modi ji, go ahead and do four more ED raids – BJP will lose bail on all its seats. The leaders you arrest may come out in four days, but BJP will not be able to set foot in Punjab for the next twenty years,” Kejriwal posted on Twitter.