ED alleges Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora used bogus invoices for GST refunds

The ED sought custodial remand after a search and seizure operation on April 17 at HSRL premises (earlier known as Ritesh Properties and Industries Ltd) and others, under FEMA, 1999, provisions.

“Searches revealed sales of mobile phones worth approximately Rs 157.12 crore from May 12, 2023, to October 27, 2023 (FY 2023-24) to local and overseas entities,” the ED alleged.

Of this, exports worth Rs 102.50 crore went to two UAE-based entities. “Investigation of the supply chain showed many suppliers were non-existent, shell, or dummy firms lacking financial capacity. They issued bogus invoices without supplying goods and were often non-filers of IT returns, reported negligible income, or had their GST registration deregistered/suspended shortly after starting operations,” it alleged.

Searches on April 17 also covered the residence of Sanjeev Arora’s son, Kavya Arora, the current managing director of HSRL. His statement revealed he joined the company in 2013 and became MD in 2025.

“Kavya stated the company began exporting mobile phones to Middle East countries from 2022, while primarily handling realty business. Phones were sourced locally in India. He said his father managed the export operations, which stopped in 2024 due to lack of profits,” the ED said.

According to the remand application, Kavya Arora claimed his father made final decisions on quantities and sources for mobile phone purchases, with instructions executed by Chief Financial Officer Deepak Sharma. “Kavya denied knowledge of export details, stating he focused solely on the realty business,” it added.

The court granted ED the custody of Sanjeev Arora for seven days.

Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More

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