18-Hour ED Raid at BJP Veteran Niti Sen Bhatia's Residence Ends

The ED team, backed by CRPF personnel, arrived at Niti Sen Bhatia's Residence at 6:30 AM on Thursday in three vehicles, meticulously searching the premises until 12:20 AM Friday. Officials examined everything from rooftop to flower pots, bringing in specialists to unlock almirahs and thoroughly investigating parked vehicles. The team departed with extensive records of properties, vehicles, and other assets.

Family Business Under Investigation

Simultaneous raids were conducted at Vidit Health Care, a pharmaceutical firm in Paonta Sahib, Himachal Pradesh, owned by Bhatia's younger son, Neeraj. This scrutiny comes months after Neeraj's arrest by NCB Jammu in August 2024 for illegal sale of codeine-based cough syrup, though he's currently out on bail.

Political Context and Raid Timing

The timing is significant as Niti Sen Bhatia's elder son, Navin, is a strong BJP contender for the upcoming Panipat mayoral elections. Niti Sen himself is a veteran BJP leader who served as Municipal Committee chairman in 1987 and contested assembly elections twice.

Former Karnal MP Sanjay Bhatia, who visited during the raid, downplayed the operation as a "routine ED check-up." He emphasized the family's cooperation and mentioned that the elderly Niti Sen Bhatia, who has vision problems, was home with only two women when the raid began.