Chandigarh | Updated: July 7, 2026
Punjab Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora on Tuesday moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the Directorate of Enforcement, seeking regular bail in a money laundering case.
Taking up the matter, Justice Aman Chaudhary’s bench called for a status report.
Arora has been in custody since May 9. His regular bail plea was earlier dismissed by the special judge under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act at Gurugram on June 15.
In his petition, Arora submitted that he is a serving Cabinet minister in the Punjab government and a former Rajya Sabha MP with deep roots in society and an unblemished public record.
The petition stated that Arora was the promoter and chairman of M/s Hampton Sky Realty Limited, a company incorporated in 1987 and engaged in diversified business activities.
His counsel submitted that after assuming office as a cabinet minister, Arora stopped participating in the day-to-day affairs of the company.
The petition was filed through advocates Vibhav Jain and Jasman Singh Gill and argued by senior advocate Puneet Bali.
According to the petition, the prosecution case is based on allegations that Hampton Sky Realty Limited exported mobile phones to entities located in the United Arab Emirates.
The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that certain entities in the domestic supply chain were shell and dummy companies involved in issuing accommodation entries and fake invoices.
On the basis of these allegations, the ED sought to treat the export transactions of HSRL as generating proceeds of crime.
Arora, however, contended that the prosecution case was fundamentally flawed.
He submitted that the ED had failed to establish the commission of a scheduled offense resulting in the generation of proceeds of crime attributable to him.
The petition argued that the material collected during the investigation did not disclose the essential ingredients of an offense under the PMLA.
Arora claimed that no material had been produced to show that he participated in the concealment, possession, acquisition, use, or projection of any alleged proceeds of crime.
He further submitted that the exports undertaken by HSRL were genuine commercial transactions supported by a complete documentary trail.
The transactions were backed by purchase invoices, e-way bills, GST records, shipping bills, customs documents, airway bills, bank realization certificates, and foreign customs clearance records.
The petition also stated that the exports were examined by customs authorities, “let export orders” were issued, and payments were received through regular banking channels.
Arora further claimed that no incriminating documents, unaccounted assets, digital records, or material showing the commission of an offense by him were recovered despite extensive searches.
The searches were conducted at his house, his son’s residence, and the office premises of HSRL.
The petition also submitted that Arora is a 62-year-old senior citizen and is suffering from multiple medical ailments.
It said the case is based on documentary material already seized and in the possession of the ED, leaving no possibility of tampering with evidence.
Arora also submitted that there was no risk of him influencing witnesses or fleeing from justice.
He prayed that he be granted regular bail during the pendency of the proceedings.
The petition further said that he had cooperated throughout the investigation and was willing to comply with any condition imposed by the court.
