Gurgaon: A special PMLA court in the city on Monday sent Punjab industries minister Sanjeev Arora to 14 days’ judicial custody in a money laundering case. Arora was arrested by Enforcement Directorate in Chandigarh on May 9 in connection with an alleged Rs 100 crore fake GST billing and laundering racket, and had been in ED custody since then.Before the hearing, Arora briefly met his family on the court premises for the first time since his arrest.During the proceedings, ED did not seek an extension of custody and requested that Arora be sent to judicial custody. The next hearing is scheduled for June 1, when he will be produced before the court virtually.“We have completed the interrogation. Further investigation is in progress,” an ED official said, adding that the chargesheet would be filed within the stipulated time.Earlier, special judge Narendra Sura had directed ED to allow Arora to meet his lawyer for one hour daily between 10am and 11am, and to provide all necessary medical facilities and medicines as advised by the medical officer.Arora also moved an application seeking permission to appoint a lawyer of his choice and sign the vakalatnama. During the hearing, ED special public prosecutor Simon Benjamin raised no objection. The court accepted the plea and directed the investigating officer to allow Arora to sign and verify the vakalatnama and hand over related documents to his lawyer or a family member without delay.The case pertains to alleged fake GST bills generated through shell companies involved in phone trading, with suspected laundering of over Rs 100 crore. ED has alleged that firms linked to Arora carried out suspicious transactions through bogus entities in Delhi. Raids were conducted in Delhi, Chandigarh and Gurgaon as part of the investigation.
