Jalandhar Central AAP MLA arrested in corruption case

Raman Arora arrested after 8 hours of questioning; is third AAP MLA facing VB action for graft

- Navrajdeep Singh

JALANDHAR: The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Friday arrested Jalandhar Central Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Raman Arora, 54, in a corruption case involving former assistant town planner (ATP) of the municipal corporation, Sukhdev Vashisht, who was held last week.

Arora allegedly used Vashisht to issue bogus notices and extort money from targeted individuals. The VB raided Arora's house on Friday morning following complaints against him. The AAP was quick to post the development on X: "(Bhagwant) Mann sarkar's big action against corruption. No one is above the law—not even within the AAP. Vigilance raids MLA Raman Arora over fake Nagar Nigam notices, extortion and digital scams. This is what real accountability looks like."

The Punjab government had withdrawn Arora's security cover of 14 police personnel on May 12 after which action was evident against the MLA.

Reacting to the arrest, chief minister Bhagwant Mann said the state government has zero tolerance for corruption. "It is not a fight against any particular individual but the corrupt system for which the government has adopted a clear-cut policy. No one will be spared whether it is our own or a stranger. Anyone who commits any kind of corruption will not be tolerated and legal action will be taken against such leaders and officials," Mann said.