
ED Raids Hit LPU, AAP MP Ashok Mittal’s Empire
Enforcement Directorate teams swept into Lovely Professional University in Phagwara, Punjab, early Wednesday morning. They also hit residences and businesses owned by AAP Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Kumar Mittal, who stepped in as the party’s deputy leader after Raghav Chadha.
Officials say the action targets suspected Foreign Exchange Management Act breaches tied to university fund flows. Mittal, 61, built the Lovely Group from sweets shops into a massive education hub—now under the scanner.
Raids covered LPU’s sprawling campus, Lovely Autos, Lovely Sweets outlets, and the Distance Education Centre in Jalandhar and Phagwara. ED sleuths from Delhi led the operation, combing documents since dawn. No arrests yet, but details are trickling out.
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann fired back hard. He called it a BJP ploy to rattle AAP before polls. Party boss Arvind Kejriwal echoed that—these agencies are weapons now, he said. Nobody saw this coming right after Mittal’s big promotion.
Mittal, an educationist turned politician in 2022, chairs LPU—India’s largest private university with 30,000-plus students. He grabbed the Rajya Sabha deputy spot just weeks ago, replacing Chadha amid party reshuffles. The timing could not be more pointed.
What This Really Means For You
Picture this: LPU pumps out thousands of grads yearly, fueling jobs in Punjab’s education belt—think teaching gigs, campus services, even local eateries thriving on student crowds. If these raids drag on and uncover dirt, enrollment could dip, hitting family budgets for fees (often lakhs per year) and shaking placements for your kids or relatives aiming there. Worse, it signals tougher scrutiny on private colleges nationwide—your EMI for education loans might face delays if institutions freeze amid probes.
The Bottom Line
AAP’s rising star now stares down ED heat—will it clip Punjab’s opposition wings or expose real rot? One thing’s clear: when agencies knock on a 30,000-student giant’s door, ripples hit every parent eyeing private degrees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why did ED raid Ashok Mittal’s Lovely Group?
A: Searches focus on alleged FEMA violations in university fund handling—no terror or laundering links confirmed yet.
Q: Who is AAP MP Ashok Kumar Mittal?
A: LPU founder, Rajya Sabha MP since 2022, recently named deputy leader replacing Raghav Chadha; heads multi-business Lovely empire.
Q: What happens to LPU students during these raids?
A: Campus operations continue normally so far; no disruptions reported, but prolonged probe could affect admissions and placements.
Reference
Hindustan Times — ED raids at Punjab’s Lovely Professional University, owned by AAP MP who replaced Raghav Chadha — https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ed-raids-at-punjabs-lovely-professional-university-owner-aap-mp-ashok-kumar-mittal-raghav-chadha-lpu-phagwara-residence-101776227687959.html
The Tribune — AAP’s Punjab MP Ashok Mittal-linked Lovely group under ED scanner — https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/aap-punjab-mp-ashok-mittal-linked-lovely-group-under-ed-scanner-raids-at-lovely-profess…
NDTV — Probe Agency Raids At Properties Linked To AAP MP Ashok Mittal — https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/enfrocement-directorate-raids-at-properties-linked-to-aap-mp-ashok-mittal-in-punjab-11359286
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