On a day when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at over a dozen locations in Chandigarh and Mohali in connection with an alleged land scam and money laundering case, the central agency on Thursday named Punjab Aam Aadmi Party President Aman Arora in its statement issued after the searches.
The ED alleged that one of the builders raided during the operation, Gaurav Dhir of M/s Dhir Constructions, was a “close associate” of the senior AAP leader.
According to the ED, the searches were carried out under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with alleged irregularities involving real estate transactions and project transfers.
In its statement, the agency claimed that Gaurav Dhir, through his entity M/s Suncity Projects, purchased a project from Altus Space Builders Pvt Ltd for “a paltry sum of Rs 130 crore” by allegedly undervaluing the project by over Rs 170 crore.
“In order to facilitate money laundering, Gaurav Dhir of M/s Dhir Constructions through its entity M/s Suncity Projects has purchased the project from Altus Space Builders Pvt Ltd for a paltry sum of Rs 130 crores, by undervaluing the project by more than Rs 170 crores,” the ED statement said.
The agency further alleged that “Gaurav Dhir is a close associate of one of the high-ranking AAP leader (Aman Arora).”
The ED also named two alleged middlemen — Nitin Gohal and Pritpal Singh Dhindsa — claiming they had helped in securing “political patronage and protection”.
“During the search, two middlemen, Nitin Gohal and Pritpal Singh Dhindsa, have also been covered, who have helped in political patronage and protection. Several incriminating documents have been recovered, suggesting interference of these private individuals in Government functioning in the state of Punjab,” the statement added.
The searches triggered high drama at a Mohali high-rise during the day after bundles of Rs 500 currency notes were allegedly thrown from an upper floor during the raids. Videos of the incident circulated widely on social media.
There was no immediate response from Aman Arora or the Aam Aadmi Party over the ED’s allegations till the filing of this report
