Ludhiana: The Enforcement Directorate’s multi-city operation targeting Punjab Cabinet minister Sanjeev Arora entered a new phase on Saturday, with searches continuing at his Gurugram residence and linked offices even as raids at his Ludhiana premises concluded earlier in the day.

ED teams wrapped up searches at Arora’s residence in Ludhiana around noon after nearly 30 hours of continuous searching operation, which began at 6 am on Friday. However, officials confirmed that the operation remains active in Gurugram, where investigators have now shifted focus.

Multi-city crackdown spanning 13 locations

The coordinated कार्रवाई was carried out across 13 locations in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Gurugram and Chandigarh, covering residential and business premises linked to the minister, his family members and close associates.

Among those under the scanner are Arora’s son and his business associates, including Hemant Sood and Chandrashekhar Agarwal. The ED also searched Arora’s official residence in Delhi, his private properties, and the company offices and premises connected to his associates.

While most locations have now been cleared, select sites — particularly in Gurugram — remain under active scrutiny.

Focus shifts after Ludhiana searches end.

According to sources, once searches at Ludhiana properties of both Arora and Hemant Sood were completed, ED teams moved to examine office locations and financial linkages in Gurugram, indicating that the जांच is expanding beyond initial premises.

Central armed police forces, which had been deployed at Arora’s Gurdev Nagar residence in Ludhiana during the operation, have since been withdrawn following the conclusion of searches there.

Money laundering angle under probe

Though the Enforcement Directorate has not issued an official statement detailing the exact nature of the allegations, sources indicate that the raids are linked to suspected money-laundering transactions and financial dealings connected to the minister and his network.

Notably, Arora was not present during the searches, as he is currently on a European tour as part of the Punjab government’s Invest Punjab initiative to attract investment.

Political undertones amid ongoing 

The searching operation comes amid heightened political tension in Punjab, with multiple actions by central agencies in recent days targeting individuals linked to the ruling establishment. While the ED maintains that its operations are evidence-based, the developments are likely to intensify the political discourse in the state as investigations progress.