Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted searches at the Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation Limited (PSIDC) office(Udyog Bhawan) in Chandigarh.
A three-member team from the ED’s Delhi unit, accompanied by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in two vehicles, arrived at the premises around 10 am and began the operation. ED officials remained inside the building till at least 4 pm.
According to sources, senior PSIDC officials and members of the corporation’s accounts department were questioned during the search. The premises were cordoned off, and additional security arrangements were put in place as the investigation continued.
The development has caused concern within the corporation as well as the Punjab Industries and Commerce Department. However, officials refrained from commenting on the nature or scope of the ongoing probe.
The searches assume significance as they come in the backdrop of the ED’s ongoing investigation involving former Industries and Commerce Minister Sanjeev Arora. He was arrested by the agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with an alleged Rs 100-crore financial fraud case.
Last month, the Supreme Court declined Sanjeev Arora’s plea for medical bail, and the ED’s investigation in the matter is continuing.
No official statement had been issued by the Enforcement Directorate or the Punjab government regarding Tuesday’s searches till the filing of this report.
