The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted searches at the Sub-Registrar’s office in Block Majri, New Chandigarh, Mohali district, and at locations in Ludhiana as part of its ongoing probe into alleged benami land transactions and money laundering.
The central agency’s sleuths were looking into the money trail and land transactions of a Ludhiana-based realtor, who is said to have invested in land deals in Ludhiana and Mohali ahead of the Land Pooling Policy 2025. The policy, however, was scrapped after the matter reached the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Sources said the realtor is believed to be close to a top political functionary who heads Housing and Urban Development Department. Land record details related to Mullanpur Garibdass (Mohali) and Shingariwala village — where land under low-density housing was recently acquired by GMADA — were reportedly being checked. Several benami land transactions involving top politicians and bureaucrats in the New Chandigarh area, including delisted forest land, are under scrutiny.
The builder under the scanner is said to have facilitated benami land deals on behalf of some bureaucrats as well.
The fresh action comes amid ED’s continued scrutiny of real estate irregularities, including fraudulent Change of Land Use (CLU) approvals in the Greater Mohali area. No official statement has been issued by ED in this regard.
