Punjab and Haryana High Court Rejects Minister Sanjeev Arora’s Regular Bail Plea in PMLA Case

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday dismissed the regular bail plea of Punjab Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora in a case registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
 

Justice Kuldeep Tiwari pronounced the order in open court on Arora’s petition challenging the Directorate of Enforcement (ED). Arora had argued that he had been in custody since May 9. His regular bail application before the Special Judge under the PMLA at Gurugram had earlier been dismissed on June 15.
 

Arora Cites Public Record and Business Background
 

In his petition, Arora submitted that he was a serving Cabinet Minister in the Punjab government and a former Rajya Sabha member with deep roots in society and an unblemished public record.
 

He also stated that he was the promoter and chairman of Hampton Sky Realty Limited (HSRL), a company incorporated in 1987 and involved in diversified business activities. According to his counsel, Arora stopped participating in the company’s day-to-day affairs after assuming office as a Cabinet Minister.
 

ED Case Involves Alleged Export Transactions
 

According to the submissions made on Arora’s behalf, the prosecution’s case centres on allegations that HSRL exported mobile phones to entities based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
 

The prosecution has alleged that certain companies in the domestic supply chain were shell or dummy entities involved in issuing accommodation entries and fake invoices. On this basis, the ED sought to treat the export transactions carried out by HSRL as having generated proceeds of crime.
 

Arora’s counsel argued that the prosecution case was fundamentally flawed because the ED had failed to establish the commission of a scheduled offence that resulted in proceeds of crime attributable to the minister.
 

The petition further contended that the material collected during the investigation did not establish the essential ingredients of an offence under the PMLA. Arora maintained that no evidence had been presented to show his involvement in concealing, possessing, acquiring, using or projecting any alleged proceeds of crime.
 

Defence Claims Exports Were Supported by Documents
 

Arora’s defence maintained that the exports conducted by HSRL were genuine commercial transactions backed by a comprehensive documentary record.
 

According to the petition, the transactions were supported by purchase invoices, e-way bills, Goods and Services Tax (GST) records, shipping bills, customs documentation, airway bills, bank realisation certificates and foreign customs clearance records.
 

The defence also submitted that the exports had undergone customs examination and that the competent customs authorities had issued “let export orders”. Payments, it said, were received through regular banking channels and duly recorded in statutory documents.
 

The petition further stated that no incriminating documents, unaccounted assets, digital records or other material establishing the commission of an offence by Arora had been recovered despite extensive searches at his residence, his son’s residence and HSRL’s office premises.
 

Minister Also Cites Age and Medical Conditions
 

Arora’s counsel also highlighted his client’s age and health, submitting that the minister was approximately 62 years old and suffered from multiple medical ailments.
 

The defence argued that the case relied entirely on documentary evidence that had already been seized and was in the ED’s possession. It further contended that there was no possibility of evidence being tampered with, witnesses being influenced or Arora fleeing from justice.
 

Despite these submissions, the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed Arora’s regular bail petition on Friday. The order was pronounced by Justice Kuldeep Tiwari in open court.