ED arrests Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora in fresh PMLA case
New Delhi/Chandigarh (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday arrested Punjab industries minister Sanjeev Arora in a fresh money laundering case against him and some entities allegedly linked to him, officials said.
Arora was taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after raids were conducted at his official residence in Chandigarh since early morning, they added.
Officials claimed Arora (62) was "non-cooperative" during the probe. He is expected to be produced before a local court on Saturday, where the agency will seek his custody for a detailed interrogation.
The ED carried out the searches at five premises across north India as part of the action.
The raids also covered two premises in Delhi and that of a company named Hampton Sky Realty Ltd in Gurugram's Udyog Vihar.
The searches were launched after the central agency registered a fresh case under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the officials said.
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Assam's Baksa honey goes global, 1st shipment exported to US
Guwahati (PTI): The first-ever consignment of honey from Assam’s Baksa district to the United States was flagged off from Guwahati on Saturday, an official statement said.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated the export from the aspirational district under the Centre’s One District One Product (ODOP) initiative.
The consignment was undertaken by APEDA-registered exporter Salt Range Foods Pvt Ltd.
Commissioner and secretary of the agriculture department and agriculture production commissioner Aruna Rajoria flagged off the consignment.
"The landmark consignment, comprising around 20 metric tonnes of honey, was flagged off from Guwahati. The honey has been processed and packed at the facility of Salt Range Foods Private Limited in Guwahati," the statement said.
Sourced from an eco-friendly and pesticide-free environment, the honey from Baksa district is known for its high quality and near-organic characteristics, reflecting the region’s rich biodiversity and sustainable agricultural practices, it said.
Honey from Baksa has also been identified under the ODOP initiative, recognising its potential for livelihood generation, value addition and export growth.
Assam has immense potential for honey production owing to its rich biodiversity, abundant forest resources and long-standing tradition of beekeeping, the statement said.
The state produced approximately 1,650 metric tonnes of honey during 2023-24, according to the National Horticulture Board's latest data.
Major honey-producing districts in the state include Baksa, Kokrajhar, Chirang, Udalguri and Tamulpur in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).
The APEDA, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, facilitated the export by supporting infrastructure development, including the provision of testing and laboratory equipment at the processing facility to ensure adherence to international quality standards and food safety requirements.
The initiative is expected to significantly benefit local beekeepers and farmers, with farmers receiving around 43 per cent higher price realisation compared to prevailing local farm gate prices, thereby enhancing income opportunities and strengthening rural livelihoods in the region, the statement said.
