Jalandhar: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid at locations linked to AAP Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal continued till late Thursday evening, though officials wrapped up operations at his residence earlier in the day.ED teams concluded searches and questioning at Mittal’s residence in Jalandhar Cantonment by Thursday morning, but continued operations at Lovely Professional University (LPU), Phagwara, and premises linked to his son Pratham Mittal, who founded the Tetr College of Business and Masters’ Union at Gurgaon, till evening. Mittal is founder chancellor of LPU.The agency had conducted raids at multiple locations, including Mittal’s residence on The Mall Road in Jalandhar, on Wednesday morning.AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann linked the raid to BJP’s preparation for the 2027 Punjab assembly polls. The timing of the raid also drew attention as Mittal recently replaced Raghav Chadha as deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha.Earlier this month, AAP wrote to Rajya Sabha Secretariat seeking the removal of Chadha as deputy leader and requesting that he no longer be allotted speaking time from the party’s quota. Mittal took his place. AAP national media in-charge Anurag Dhanda, citing “sources”, had alleged that raids followed Chadha’s meeting with BJP leadership and termed the developments “not a coincidence but a calculated move”.Punjab BJP leaders, including Union minister of state Ravneet Singh Bittu, state president Sunil Jakhar and National Commission for Minorities chairman Iqbal Singh Lalpura, defended the action, saying central agencies were duty-bound to investigate any wrongdoing.
