The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted searches at multiple premises linked to Lovely Professional University (LPU) and its associated business entities in Phagwara, Punjab, in connection with an alleged Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) violation case, officials said.
According to officials familiar with the development, ED teams from Jalandhar and Chandigarh carried out coordinated raids early in the morning. The action reportedly covered the university campus as well as several business establishments associated with the Lovely Group, which operates a range of educational and commercial ventures in the region.
Investigators said the searches are part of a wider probe into alleged violations under FEMA involving business entities linked to the group. The federal agency has not sought assistance from local police during the operation, according to officials, indicating that the action was carried out independently under central investigative protocols.
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The raids were also extended to additional properties, including sweets shops, automotive businesses, and a distance education centre associated with the Lovely Group. Residential premises of the group’s owners were also searched as part of the operation, which is still underway, officials added.
The Lovely Group is owned by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Kumar Mittal, who recently took over as the party’s deputy leader in the Upper House, replacing Raghav Chadha. Mittal is the founder and chancellor of Lovely Professional University and operates the institution along with his family members.
The ED action comes shortly after Mittal’s elevation within the AAP parliamentary leadership, although officials have not commented on any political linkage. The investigation remains ongoing, and further details are expected as the searches conclude and documents seized during the raids are examined.
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