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The Punjab Vigilance Bureau arrested Mahesh Makhija, a close aide of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Raman Arora, late Friday night in connection with a corruption case.
Makhija was apprehended from a relative's factory in Phagwara and produced before a local court at 10:10 PM. After a heated debate between the counsels, the Vigilance Bureau sought a seven-day remand, but the court granted a four-day custodial remand for Makhija. Following his arrest, the Vigilance team searched Makhija's residence, recovering several crucial documents, according to sources. The bureau argued in court that interrogating Makhija could yield vital clues regarding properties and other illicit activities linked to the case. On the same day, the Vigilance team attempted to apprehend another close aide of MLA Arora in Ranka Bazaar, but the individual had already absconded. The bureau is now questioning the aide's relatives. According to sources, the vigilance team has recovered lakhs of rupees in cash and documents from the spot. Additionally, Building Inspector Harpreet Kaur was arrested in connection with the same case, and both she and MLA Raman Arora underwent medical examinations at Jalandhar Civil Hospital late Friday night. The court was informed that MLA Arora, his son Rajan Arora, and Mahesh Makhija have been named in the case under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Sources revealed that during his remand, MLA Arora admitted that his son managed operations related to the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation, including land and property dealings. Investigations have uncovered properties worth crores allegedly purchased by Arora in the names of relatives or family friends. The Vigilance Bureau has deployed seven teams to probe the matter further, including examining CCTV footage to trace three missing bags believed to be connected to the case. The investigation is ongoing, with the bureau intensifying efforts to uncover the full extent of the corruption network. (ANI)
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