Chandigarh, May 7 :
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted raids at multiple locations across Punjab and Chandigarh in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged land fraud case, officials said.
According to officials, nearly a dozen premises in Mohali and Chandigarh associated with the Suntec City project, Ajay Sehgal, ABS Townships, Altus Builders, Dhir Constructions and their associates were searched under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The ED also carried out searches at premises linked to Nitin Gohal, an IT professional alleged to have assisted builders accused of defaulting on payments to the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) and arranging political protection for them.
Officials claimed Gohal is linked to Rajbir Ghuman, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
The accused are alleged to have fraudulently obtained Change of Land Use (CLU) licences from GMADA and later cheated investors by collecting crores of rupees through various real estate projects.
Sources said an incident involving the recovery of cash also took place during the raids in Mohali’s Kharar area. Two bags reportedly filled with Rs 500 denomination notes were found lying on the ground near a residential society, raising suspicions that the cash was thrown from a high-rise apartment during the ED operation.
Several bundles of cash were also reportedly seen scattered around the premises. A video showing the bags of cash went viral on social media.
Sources added that the ED conducted searches at a flat located in Western Towers, Kharar.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia also reacted to the development through a post on X, alleging that crores of rupees were recovered during raids linked to close associates and relatives of the Punjab CM’s OSD.
The ED has intensified action in Punjab in recent weeks, carrying out searches against several politically linked individuals ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. Earlier, the agency also raided premises linked to Punjab Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora and former AAP Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Kumar Mittal in separate investigations.(KNC)