The Supreme Court has agreed to examine former Haryana MLA Dharam Singh Chhoker’s petition seeking bail in a Rs. 616 crore money laundering case.
Chhoker is accused of duping “thousands of home buyers and siphoning off hundreds of crores of rupees for personal gains and expenditure, apart from purchasing properties in the name of his companies and other associate concerns”.
Without issuing a formal notice to the Enforcement Directorate on Chhoker’s petition challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s April 2026 order denying him regular bail, a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Friday posted the matter for hearing on June 17.
As senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Narender Hooda pressed for Chhoker’s release, Additional Solicitor General Anil Kaushik vehemently opposed it.
The high court had turned down his bail plea, saying he was a “flight risk” and that the allegations, the nature of transactions, and material collected during the investigation did not justify his release at this stage.
The case arose from an affordable group housing project undertaken by a company of the Mahira Group controlled by Chhoker and his family.
The company collected large amounts from homebuyers and diverted the same and Chhoker and other co-accused laundered the proceeds of crime to the tune of Rs. 616 crore, it was alleged.
Chhoker had contended before the high court that he was a senior citizen having deep roots in society and had been cooperating with the investigation and that the trial was likely to take considerable time.
However, the Enforcement Directorate opposed his bail plea in view of the gravity of allegations, Chhokker’s conduct during the probe and statutory requirements governing bail.
While rejecting his bail plea, the high court took note of the allegation that funds collected from homebuyers were utilised for purposes other than construction of flats.
The high court had held that the delay in commencement of trial could not be attributed to the prosecution alone and that the period of custody undergone by him since May 4, 2025 could not be considered substantial.
