ED raid on the houses of AAP's Rajya Sabha member and former minister Ashu's relatives

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids on the residences and offices of former Punjab cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu and businessman Hemant Sood, who is believed to be close to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora. The searches were carried out early Friday in Ludhiana and surrounding areas, as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged financial irregularities.

Sources said the agency has uncovered foreign transactions linked to the accounts of Ashu and Sood, and further scrutiny of bank records is underway. The ED suspects that certain cross-border transfers may have violated the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) or involved money laundering activities.

The raids have triggered a fresh round of political confrontation in Punjab. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia said the searches “once again expose the truth behind AAP’s claims of honesty,” accusing the ruling party of shielding those “involved in corruption under the guise of reform.”

Former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, who has faced multiple corruption allegations in the past, was previously arrested by the ED in connection with a money-laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in foodgrain transportation contracts.

The Aam Aadmi Party has yet to issue an official response, but party insiders have dismissed the raids as politically motivated, alleging that opposition parties and central agencies are working to tarnish AAP’s image ahead of Punjab’s ongoing panchayat elections.