The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday conducted raids at the home of Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal, as well as several other premises linked to him in Punjab and Haryana, in connection with alleged foreign exchange violations, PTI reported.

This came about two weeks after Mittal replaced AAP leader Raghav Chadha as the party’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha.

Among the premises raided were the campus of Lovely Professional University in Punjab’s Phagwara city, and two linked institutions in Haryanas’ Gurugram, Tetr College of Business and Masters Union College of Business, PTI quoted unidentified ED officials as saying.

Mittal is the founder and chancellor of Lovely Professional University.

The Enforcement Directorate also conducted raids at other entities that are part of the Lovely Group, including Lovely Autos, Lovely Sweets, and the Lovely Distance Education Centre, The Tribune reported. The central agency also searched premises linked to the MP’s family members, including his brothers Ramesh Mittal and Naresh Mittal.

The Enforcement Directorate’s action was based on an inquiry into alleged violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act.

Commenting on the raids, Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal remarked that Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared to have begun preparations for the Punjab elections, expected to be held next year. “But the people of Punjab will not tolerate this,” he said in a social media post. “They will give a befitting reply to the [Bharatiya Janata Party].”

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann too alleged that the raids were part of the BJP’s preparations for elections, and described the ED’s actions as “typical Modi style”.