In a massive crackdown on corruption, Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Friday arrested Jalandhar Central MLA Raman Arora from his residence in fake Nagar Nigam notices, extortion & digital scams. A team of the Vigilance Bureau raided Raman Arora's house in Ashok Nagar at 8.45 am. When the vigilance team arrived, MLA Arora was going somewhere. Vigilance detained him from a temple near his house. After this, the team took him inside the house. After getting solid evidence, the MLA was arrested. Vigilance Bureau's raid on MLA Raman Arora's residence is seen as the biggest crackdown on corruption by the Bhagwant Singh Mann government. Raman Arora's arrest is a clear example of the Mann Government's zero tolerance policy against corruption even within its own party ranks.
Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, in his address, made it clear that his government will leave no corrupt individuals, even if he or she belong to his own party. Raman Arora is in Aam Aadmi Party. Now, the question arises: what did Raman Arora do, and how did he come on the Vigilance Bureau's radar?
Raman Arora's arrest: Inside Story
To understand Raman Arora's arrest, let's turn the wheel of time back to 2022. The arrest of Jalandhar Central MLA Raman Arora by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau marks the culmination of a long trail of complaints, suspicions, and discreet investigations by the state government. Sources reveal that allegations of corruption against Arora had been surfacing since the formation of the AAP government in Punjab in 2022.
According to insiders, one of the earliest complaints came from a prominent doctor in Jalandhar. After modifying his hospital building and initiating basement construction, he alleged that MLA Arora demanded money. When the doctor refused to pay, a case was reportedly registered against him, and the construction was forcibly halted. Although the doctor filed a counter-complaint against MLA Arora, it did not gain much traction initially.
Arora had won election from Jalandhar Central constituency with a relatively narrow margin, and whispers of malpractice surrounded him from the beginning. During the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation elections — which AAP won — senior party leaders began receiving negative feedback about corruption in the ranks, raising concerns about damage to the party’s clean image.
The tipping point came after Vaneet Dhir was appointed Mayor. Under his leadership, a strict stance was taken against corrupt practices. This shift coincided with the high-profile arrest of Assistant Town Planner (ATP) Sukhdev Vashisht, exposing a web of extortion and manipulation in the building approval process.
Sources say the government proceeded cautiously due to a lack of concrete evidence. But once credible proof surfaced, Raman Arora’s security cover was quietly withdrawn. Director, Vigilance Bureau (Punjab), J Elanchezhian, was assigned to the case, and the entire probe was conducted in strict secrecy. Investigators found that while no official municipal notices was registered, many were served — a major red flag. It became evident that ATP Vashisht was merely a front, and Raman Arora was the real orchestrator behind the scheme.
According to officials, this case is likely to see more arrests in the coming days. Close relatives of Arora are reportedly under the scanner, and his Personal Assistant (PA) is currently missing. Furthermore, 2–3 local journalists who allegedly acted as middlemen or brokers in the racket are also on the Vigilance Bureau's radar.
MLA Raman Arora and ATP Sukhdev Vashisht case
Last Thursday, VB apprehended Sukhdev Vashisht, an Assistant Town Planner (ATP), Municipal Corporation, Jalandhar, for demanding a bribe of Rs. 30,000. VB, in their official release, stated that the accused had been deliberately delaying file approvals and extorting money from the applicants. They informed that despite 70 percent of building maps in the area having already been approved by the MC, the aforementioned ATP Vashisht had refused to clear certain files unless bribes were paid.
ATP Sukhdev Vashisht held exclusive responsibility for approving all building plans and taking action against unauthorized constructions in Jalandhar Central and Jalandhar West. A Vigilance Bureau officer informed True Scoop that no building plan in Jalandhar Central was approved without political clearance, and specifically, without financial gratification being routed to an Aam Aadmi Party leader.
Now it is clear that the AAP leader is none other than MLA Raman Arora.
How was the scam being carried out?
VB in their initial investigation had further found that an alleged involvement of a group of local journalists who acted as unofficial enforcers. This group would reportedly take photos of illegal constructions and then use the images to blackmail property owners. In many cases, negative news coverage would follow, leading to official notices from the corporation, which would then be ‘resolved’ for a price.
Despite widespread violations, action was often taken only after 70% of the construction had been completed. Even with a change in mayoral leadership, insiders say, the system remained unchanged. "Everyone was fed up. Files wouldn’t move without interference or payments," said one official of the Vigilance Bureau, speaking on condition of anonymity.
What did Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann say?
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann addressed the state, reaffirming his government's zero tolerance policy against corruption — even within his own party.
“We came to power to clean the system. Our fight is not against a person but against corruption. No matter the rank or affiliation — even if it’s someone from my own party — we will not spare the corrupt,” CM Mann said in a public address.
Mann condemned the practice of harassing citizens, including hawkers and shopkeepers, by fabricating issues in official documents and extorting money. He urged the public to come forward with complaints, promising swift and impartial action.