Mahesh Makhija, close aide of Punjab AAP MLA Raman Arora, arrested in corruption case

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau arrested Mahesh Makhija, a close aide of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Raman Arora, on Friday night in connection with a corruption case.

Makhija was apprehended from a relative's factory in Phagwara and produced before a local court at 10:10 PM, news agency ANI reported. After a heated debate between the counsels, the Vigilance Bureau sought a seven-day remand, but the court granted a four-day custodial remand for Makhija.

“Following his arrest, the Vigilance team searched Makhija's residence, recovering several crucial documents,” sources told ANI.

Mahesh Makhija was a local commission agent, news agency ANI reported. According to the Tribune, Makhija worked in the main vegetable market of Jalandhar and resides at Charanjitpura. Makhija had reportedly been on the run since Arora’s arrest.

Both Kaur and MLA Raman Arora underwent medical examinations at Jalandhar Civil Hospital late Friday night.

AAP MLA Raman Arora was detained on May 23 and was arrested on May 24. He was sent on a five-day Punjab Vigilance Bureau remand on corruption charges. Arora became the third MLA from the AAP to face action in corruption-related matters from his own party government.

Sources revealed that during his remand, MLA Arora admitted that his son managed operations related to the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation, including land and property dealings.

Investigations have uncovered properties worth crores allegedly purchased by Arora in the names of relatives or family friends.

According to the Tribune, it was alleged that Arora had purchased some properties from the ill-gotten money and had got these registered in the name of Makhija.

It was also alleged that Raman Arora had moved some bags from his place days before his arrest. It was learnt that one of these bags, having documents related to ‘benami’ properties purchased by Arora, had been shifted to Makhija’s place, the report added.

The VB had been checking CCTV footages available from outside the houses of Arora, Makhija and others.

Earlier, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau arrested Municipal Corporation Inspector Harpreet Kaur in this connection. There had been complaints against her of having received lakhs of rupees in the racket allegedly being run in the city by Jalandhar Central MLA Raman Arora and Assistant Town Planner Sukhdev Vashisht.

(With inputs from ANI)