Raaj Kumar Anand, The Latest AAP Leader Under Probe Agency Scanner

Raaj Kumar Anand is the latest Aam Aadmi Party leader under the Enforcement Directorate scanner for alleged money laundering charges. He is an MLA from Patel Nagar and Social Welfare Minister in the Arvind Kejriwal government.

An ED team reached Mr Anand's house this morning and conducted searches in a customs-related money laundering case.

The probe pertains to alleged false declarations in imports for customs evasions of over Rs 7 crore besides international hawala transactions, reports suggest. A local court had taken cognisance of the complaint by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, after which the ED filed a complaint against Mr Anand.

Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj has slammed the ED for raiding Mr Anand's house and said his only mistake was that he belonged to the Aam Aadmi Party.

The case against Mr Anand comes at a time several of his party colleagues are being probed in the Delhi liquor policy case.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was asked to appear before the ED today in connection with the liquor policy case, but he is going to skip the summons. The AAP had even speculated that he may be arrested.

The Chief Minister's close aide and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia remains in jail in the same case after Supreme Court denied him bail. Party MP Sanjay Singh was also arrested last month.

The AAP has accused the central government of trying to destroy their party. They are a part of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) and several members of the bloc have condemned the summons and said it is further proof of their stand that the central agencies are being misused by the BJP-led government.