AAP minister Sanjeev Arora asserted on Tuesday in the Punjab and Haryana High Court that his detainment by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was unlawful, alleging that the agency failed to adhere to correct arrest protocols. The assertion was presented during the hearing of a petition contesting Arora's custody in a money laundering matter.
Senior Advocate Puneet Bali, representing Arora, inquired how the ED could have drafted the 17-page grounds of arrest in just 35 minutes—from Arora’s statement at 3:25 pm to his arrest at 4 pm—suggesting that the document had to be pre-prepared. “These premises were previously recorded, pre-typed, and arranged.” “All pretended adherence to the law,” Bali asserted, asking the court to ignore them.
The panel, including Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry, postponed the case to Friday, urging Arora’s lawyer to finish arguments quickly.
On May 9, Arora was detained by the ED related to purported fraudulent purchases and exports of mobile phones by Hampton Sky Realty Limited, where he served as Chairman and Managing Director. The agency asserts that the exports did not involve any physical shipment of goods and functioned as a channel for the transfer of foreign currency from overseas, breaching the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). Many suppliers were reportedly shell companies. Hampton Sky is said to have generated mobile phone sales totaling ₹157.12 crore in 2023–24, which includes ₹102.50 crore from UAE-based companies, as per the ED.
Arora maintained that the transactions were valid, backed by invoices, shipping documents, customs checks, IMEI confirmations, bank realization certificates, GST filings, and audited financial statements. He also indicated that the arrest was driven by political motives in light of the ongoing rivalry between BJP and AAP in Punjab.
Bali mentioned that Arora was essentially held from 7 am, even though the arrest was officially documented at 4 pm. He was brought before the magistrate only at 10:30 pm, purportedly to circumvent the 24-hour procedural limit. Bali argued
Bali added that Arora was effectively detained from 7 am, although the arrest was formally recorded at 4 pm. He was presented before the magistrate only at 10:30 pm, allegedly to manipulate the 24-hour procedural limit. Bali contended that the remand order was illegal and that Arora should be released immediately.
