The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has alleged the involvement of Moga Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Dr Amandeep Kaur Arora and her associates in the fraudulent acquisition of seven land parcels belonging to government departments and a church society in Moga.
In a statement issued on Friday, the central agency said the properties were allegedly acquired or transferred in the names of the MLA’s relatives and other associated persons through manipulation of revenue records and execution of property documents.
The original case was registered at Dharamkot police station against revenue official Navdeep Singh, and a woman migrant labourer, Dilkhush Kumari, and others over alleged irregularities involving land in Adhraman village. The ED had raided seven locations, including Arora’s residence in Moga, in a money-laundering probe linked to the alleged fraudulent acquisition of government land and misuse of public funds. The identified properties include 13 marlas of central government land on Zira Road, seven marlas of Punjab government land at Civil Lines, six marlas of market committee land on Railway Road and three kanals and 16 marlas of municipal land at Moga Mehla Singh-3. The ED said the probe originated from a Punjab Police case involving alleged manipulation of revenue records and wrongful disbursement of ₹ 1.01 crore in compensation for government land acquired for National Highway 754A in Moga district.
The searches resulted in the recovery of incriminating documents, electronic devices and other material allegedly indicating the acquisition of benami properties by the MLA and her associates, according to the agency. The recovered material is being examined as part of the ongoing investigation, the statement said. Punjab Police have filed a chargesheet against Navdeep Singh, the agency said. Condemning the BJP’s politics, Cheema said the people of Punjab would give a fitting response to every attempt to weaken democracy, destabilise opposition parties and undermine the people’s mandate.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and cabinet minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Friday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of misusing central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), income tax department and the Election Commission to intimidate opposition leaders ahead of elections.
