PPCB raids Trident unit days after Rajinder Gupta’s switch to BJP

Punjab Industry Minister Sanjeev Arora had earlier claimed that Gupta had returned to the AAP fold. However, no such confirmation came from Gupta.

The Dhaula unit has faced scrutiny in the past. In July 2022, farmers affiliated with BKU (Ugrahan) staged protests alleging water pollution and foul smell from the industrial premises. The Trident management had denied the allegations, and no action was taken by the AAP government at the time.
Political tensions have escalated on the ground, with AAP workers protesting against the MPs who switched sides. Slogans such as “gaddar” were spray-painted on walls outside Gupta’s residence in Ludhiana and his factory in Barnala. Similar protests were reported outside Lovely Professional University, owned by Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal, and at the residence of cricketer-turned-MP Harbhajan Singh on April 25 and 26.

Gupta has had a long association with successive Punjab governments. He served as vice-chairman of the Punjab State Planning Board during both the SAD-BJP (2012–2017) and Congress (2017–2022) regimes — a post equivalent to Cabinet rank. After AAP came to power, he was appointed vice-chairman of the Punjab State Economic Policy and Planning Board in June 2022, a position equivalent to Cabinet rank, from which he resigned before entering the Rajya Sabha.

Reacting strongly to the PPCB action, BJP Punjab working president Ashwani Sharma termed the raid “deplorable and politically motivated.” He alleged that the action was carried out at the behest of AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to settle political scores.

Sharma claimed that Gupta was being targeted solely for joining the BJP and accused the state government of misusing administrative machinery against political opponents and industrialists. He said such actions send a negative signal to investors and reflect intolerance towards dissent.

He further stated that targeting a reputed industrial group undermines the credibility of institutions like the PPCB and raises serious concerns about misuse of power..