ED 'Pre-Typed' Grounds Of Arrest For 'Fictitious' Compliance With PMLA Safeguards: Punjab Minister Sanjeev Arora Tells P&H High Court

Punjab Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora, arrested and remanded in connection with a money laundering case, today told the Punjab & Haryana High Court that the Enforcement Directorate had "pre-recorded, pre-typed" the grounds of his arrest, for "fictitious" compliance of Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

For context, Section 19 PMLA deals with ED's power of arrest and stipulates certain safeguards for accused including informing him of the grounds for such arrest.

Senior Advocate Puneet Bali appearing for Arora alleged that the 17 pages grounds of arrest were typed in mere 35 minutes.

"Let's give ED an award. Please get the best steno of the country and tell him to type this in 35 minutes," he remarked.

Bali added that in such circumstances, the Special Court in Gurugram should have ignored the grounds of arrest and rejected remand.

The AAP leader has been booked in a Rs 100-crore GST fraud linked to a company he previously headed. He has approached the Court challenging his arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA). He has sought quashing of the arrest, the grounds of arrest, and the remand order, alleging violation of statutory safeguards and fundamental rights.

He claims that all transactions were legal, made online and customs bills were supplied to the ED.

"This is shocking! I am a minister. This was from when I was a businessman. I am not person across the border. I am not going to flee away, they are treating me like a criminal…" Senior Advocate Bali argued.

"They say I am arrested for evasive replies. SC in Pankaj Bansal says you can't arrest on this ground," he added.

The division bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry however adjourned the matter for tomorrow (May 15) citing paucity of time.

Arora, who is currently serving as Punjab's Minister for Industries and Commerce and was earlier a Rajya Sabha Member from 2022 to 2025, stated that he is the promoter and former Chairman of M/s Hampton Sky Realty Limited (HSRL), formerly known as Ritesh Properties and Industries Limited. He submitted that he had resigned from all executive roles upon assuming public office and has had no role in the day-to-day functioning of the company.

Case Title: Sajeev Arora v UOI & Ors.

Senior Advocate Puneel Bali appeared for Sanjeev Arora

Advocates Zohaib Hussain with Lokesh Narang for ED.