AAP likely to field industrialist Rajinder Gupta for RS bypoll from Punjab
Chandigarh (PTI): The ruling Aam Aadmi Party is likely to field industrialist Rajinder Gupta as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha bypoll in Punjab on October 24.
The bypoll is being held to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of AAP’s Sanjeev Arora, who stepped down from the Upper House following his election to the state assembly.
Arora, whose term was to end on April 9, 2028, is presently serving as a minister in the Punjab Cabinet led by Bhagwant Mann.
The chairman emeritus of the Trident Group, Gupta recently resigned as the vice-chairman of the State Economic Policy and Planning Board and as chairperson of the Kali Devi temple advisory committee, fuelling speculation that the AAP could field him for the bypoll.
AAP enjoys an overwhelming majority in the 117-member state Assembly.
In June, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal put to rest speculation that he would enter the Rajya Sabha from Punjab.
Kejriwal’s decision to not throw his hat into the ring came after Arora won the Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll.
After Arora's name was announced for the Ludhiana West bypoll, the opposition had claimed that Kejriwal would enter the Rajya Sabha in his place.
AAP retained the Ludhiana West seat with Arora defeating his nearest rival, Bharat Bhushan Ashu of the Congress, by 10,637 votes.
The bypoll was necessitated by the passing of sitting AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January.
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ED attaches Anil Ambani's 'Abode' worth Rs 3,716 crore in PMLA case
New Delhi (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday said it has attached Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani's Mumbai house, 'Abode', worth Rs 3,716 crore under the anti-money laundering law.
The attachment comes a day before Ambani, 66, is expected to appear before the federal probe agency here for his second round of questioning on Thursday in a case linked to the alleged bank loan fraud involving Reliance Communications (RCOM).
The luxurious house, which is stated to be 66-metre high with 17 floors, is located in the Pali Hill area of Mumbai.
A provisional order has been issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to attach the multi-storeyed house in the case linked to an alleged bank fraud by Ambani's group company RCOM, the federal probe agency said in a statement.
It stated that the value of the attached asset was Rs 3,716.83 crore.
A part of this property, worth Rs 473.17 crore, was similarly attached by the ED in November, 2025.
RCOM and its group companies availed loans from domestic and foreign lenders with a total outstanding of Rs 40,185 crore, as per the ED.
An email sent by PTI to the Reliance Group seeking comment on the development remained unanswered.
The ED issues a provisional attachment order against an immovable or movable asset to prevent the accused from transacting, selling, or transferring it during the investigation.
Once the PMLA Adjudicating Authority confirms this order within the stipulated 180 days, the ED can confiscate the property and, in the case of a house, ask residents to vacate it.
Probe found that, among other assets, the Pali Hill property (Abode) was aggregated into the RiseE Trust, a private family trust of the members of Ambani's family.
"This was done to make it appear as though Mr Anil Ambani is not involved. The intended effect of this corporate restructuring was to ensure wealth preservation and resource generation by aggregation of the property in the RiseE Trust and shield it from the personal liabilities of Mr Anil Ambani in the form of Personal Guarantees extended by him to lender banks against the loans sanctioned to RCOM," the agency claimed.
It added that the property was intended to be "beneficially" used and owned by the Anil Ambani family and not for the distressed public banks whose loans became non-performing assets (NPAs).
With the latest order, the total value of the attachment in this case stands at about Rs 15,700 crore.
Ambani is expected to appear before the federal probe agency here for his second round of questioning on Thursday.
He first deposed before the ED in August 2025 and had his statement recorded under the PMLA.
The agency recently constituted a special investigation team to probe multiple cases of alleged bank fraud and linked financial irregularities against the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) on the directions of the Supreme Court.
