The owner of the Kharar flat raided by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) this morning, Nitin Gohal, claimed to be the founder and CEO of two IT firms — Fortec Web Solutions Private Limited, Phase 8; and TechLive Solutions, Tangori village. He also has political links. Gohal and his wife said they had been residing at their flat in Western Towers, Kharar, for the past three years.
The ED raid, which began around 7 am, was continuing well past 9.30 pm. After ED sleuths arrived at the posh society, two bags containing cash in the Rs 500 denomination were thrown off the balcony of Gohal’s flat. The bags ripped apart and wads of the currency scattered in the courtyard.
Morning walkers put the photographs in the RWA group, after which the news spread. Residents said the wads of notes kept lying on the floor for a considerable time with no one coming forward to pick up the bags.
Gohal is currently under the ED scanner for alleged money laundering. “He was allegedly helping builders who have defaulted in payments of GMADA fee in liaison with politicians,” sources said.
According to the sources, Gohal, a native of Nabha in Patiala, has no political background but is often seen with high-profile politicians and functionaries and operates for them unofficially. His friendship with influential figures developed during his college years at Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Engineering College in Fatehgarh Sahib and SUSCET, Tangori. Two of his classmates are said to be functionaries in the state government, while he also shares a close friendship with two popular Punjabi singers and a politician who has been appointed as a Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) functionary. One of them is reportedly under the ED scanner.
Gohal’s link with alleged middleman, Kirshanu Sharda, arrested in connection with suspended Punjab Police DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar’s corruption case is also under the scanner. Those being probed for liaisoning include a Morinda-based politician, who unsuccessfully contested Zila Parishad elections. Several social media posts show Gohal and his family members attending private functions hosted by government officials, but the veracity of the photos could not be authenticated. Gohal is said to have influenced the RWA elections of the Western Towers, with the elected body being rendered defunct via “a phone call” after his close friends lost the polls around five months ago.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party leaders told mediapersons that they had no link with individuals being looked into by the ED.
