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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted a raid at the residence of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA and Punjab Women's Wing president Amandeep Kaur Arora in Moga in the early hours of Wednesday.
Visuals showed security and party workers outside the residence of AAP MLA Amandeep Kaur Arora in Moga, where the ED conducted a raid. Speaking to ANI, AAP party leaders alleged political targeting and claimed that the agency was preventing anyone from entering the premises. Senior Deputy Mayor of Moga Rakesh Kumar Bajaj said the ED team arrived at around 3 am, locked the main gate and did not allow anyone to enter the premises, including those attempting to bring water or tea. "The team arrived at the MLA's residence around 3 o'clock. They aren't letting anyone inside; they have locked the place down. They aren't even allowing water or tea to be taken in," Bajaj told ANI. Alleging that the MLA was being targeted ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, Bajaj said that pressure had been building over the past five to seven days. "They are targeting our MLA. They have been trying to do this for the past 57 days. That's all they keep saying," he said. Bajaj also alleged that the ED was following a similar approach and expressed confidence that the MLA would emerge with a clean chit. "They are just doing what the Vigilance [Bureau] doesthe ED is doing the same. They aren't letting anyone innot even water or tea. Look for yourselves; we will emerge with a clean chit. In the past, too, all the cases filed by the ED ended in clean chits," he said. He further alleged that the agency was conducting raids in places where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was not in power, with the intention of defaming the Punjab government. The remarks come ahead of the 2027 state assembly elections, which are set to see a high-stakes battle between the BJP, Congress and the incumbent AAP. "They are only conducting raids in places where their own party is not in power. Their sole objective is to defame the government. But the peoplethe publicstand with the Punjab government, and it will be re-elected," Bajaj said. He also indicated that the ED action was taking place at two locations, with the second location believed to be the MLA's flat. When asked whether the authorities had provided any prior information or communicated the reason for the raid, Bajaj said no such information had been shared."No, they didn't inform anyone; they just arrived, went inside, locked the doors, and stayed there. They have even confined the MLA inside with them," he alleged. Bajaj further claimed that political pressure had been building across Punjab, particularly in areas where the BJP was not in power."This pressure has actually been building for several days. Across Punjabwherever the BJP is not in powerevery leader, everyone in the opposition, is under pressure," he said. Bajaj said the party's immediate demand was to be allowed inside the premises to meet the MLA and witness the proceedings."Our demand is simply that we should be allowed inside to meet them; whatever is happening, it should happen in our presence," he said.(ANI)
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