Rajeev Sharma :- The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday carried out searches at multiple premises linked to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal, including his residence in Jalandhar and offices associated with Lovely Professional University (LPU). The raid is reportedly part of an ongoing money laundering investigation.
According to sources, ED teams from Delhi reached the locations early in the morning, around 7.30 am and conducted coordinated searches across at least nine sites, including properties in Gurugram. Security personnel were deployed outside Mittal’s residence, where he was present during the operation.
Probe Linked to Alleged Financial Irregularities
Officials familiar with the matter indicated that the investigation pertains to suspected financial transactions involving Mittal and his son. While the ED has not yet issued an official statement detailing the case, sources suggest the investigation is connected to alleged money laundering activities.
Political War of Words Intensifies
The searches have triggered a sharp political confrontation between the AAP and the BJP.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Maanaccused the Centre of misusing investigative agencies ahead of elections. In a social media post, CM Mann alleged that the raids were part of the BJP’s strategy for the upcoming Punjab Assembly polls, describing the move as “typical” of the ruling party’s tactics.
Responding to the allegations, Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu hit back at the AAP leadership, accusing the party of corruption. He asserted that investigative agencies were acting against wrongdoing and that accountability would be ensured under the Centre’s governance framework.
Recent Leadership Change in Rajya Sabha
The raids come shortly after Mittal was appointed as AAP’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, replacing Raghav Chadha. The leadership reshuffle had taken place less than two weeks ago.
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Who is Ashok Mittal?
Ashok Mittal is an education entrepreneur and the founder-chancellor of Lovely Professional University, one of India’s largest private universities based in Punjab’s Phagwara.
He began his career assisting in his family’s sweet business, which later expanded significantly. Over the years, Mittal diversified into the automobile sector, securing dealership networks before entering the education field.
In 2001, he established an educational institution that later evolved into LPU, which now spans hundreds of acres and hosts thousands of students from India and abroad. Mittal entered Parliament as a Rajya Sabha MP in 2022.
The ED searches were still underway at the time of filing this report. Further details are awaited as officials continue to examine documents and electronic records seized during the raids.
