The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Jalandhar Zonal Office, has summoned the Chief Administrator of the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) to appear before it on Monday in connection with its ongoing money-laundering investigation into alleged massive irregularities in Change of Land Use (CLU) approvals granted to two major real estate projects — Suntec City and Altus Space Builders Pvt Ltd.
The summons issued by ED directs the Chief Administrator or an authorised representative (not below Gazetted Officer rank) to present himself at the ED office in Jalandhar.
Real estate circles in Greater Mohali are abuzz with the development as the ED probe now directly scrutinises the top brass of GMADA and housing department — the very authority that grants the approvals under question.
The notice states that the Chief Administrator’s personal appearance is required “to give evidence and for production of records” in the PMLA probe. Failure to comply would invite penal action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Proceedings under Section 50 of PMLA are deemed judicial.
The summons comes barely 10 days after the ED conducted simultaneous searches at around a dozen locations in Mohali, Chandigarh, New Chandigarh and Patiala on May 8, targeting the Indian Cooperative Housing Building Society (promoter of Suntec City), its office-bearers Ajay Sehgal and Suresh Kumar Bajaj, Altus Space Builders Pvt Ltd, ABS Townships Pvt Ltd, Dhir Constructions (and its promoter Gaurav Dhir), and alleged middleman Nitin Gohal.
Documents sought from GMADA chief
- The complete file containing all approvals granted to Altus Space Builders Pvt Ltd
- List of all concerned officials involved in the approval of projects related to the company.
- Details of all transactions made by Altus Space Builders Pvt Ltd to GMADA.
Raids yield Rs 1 crore cash; dramatic balcony incident
During the raids, the ED seized approximately Rs 1 crore in cash and incriminating documents. In one high-profile incident at a Mohali high-rise (Flat No. 906, Western Towers, Chajju Majra near Kharar), eyewitnesses reported bags containing Rs 500 notes (25 lakh) being thrown from the ninth-floor balcony as ED teams arrived; the cash was later recovered.
The probe is based on two Mohali police FIRs
-FIR No. 123/2022 (Mullanpur police station): Alleging that fake consent letters with forged signatures and thumb impressions of 15 landowners from Palheri village were used to secure CLU permission for 30.5 acres for the Suntec City mega project. The society allegedly collected over Rs 150 crore from members without executing sale deeds. Proceeds were allegedly diverted to other projects like ‘La Canela’ and ‘District 7’. GMADA later cancelled the society’s licence following Punjab and Haryana High Court litigation.
- FIR No. 7/2024 (Phase-11 police station): Multiple homebuyers accused Altus Space Builders of selling plots in its ‘Millennium Court’ project at Nagiari village by misrepresenting conditional CLU approvals as final. The company allegedly collected crores but failed to deliver possession or execute sale deeds. Promoter Mohinder Singh has been declared a proclaimed offender.
ED officials have also alleged that Gaurav Dhir of Dhir Constructions, through M/s Suncity Projects, purchased the Altus project at a hugely undervalued Rs 130 crore (actual worth reportedly over Rs 300 crore) to facilitate money laundering.
The agency is examining the role of certain GMADA officials in granting the allegedly fraudulent CLU permissions and the quantum of fees paid (or not paid) by the builders to the authority.
