ED files supplementary prosecution complaint against private builders in Manesar land scam
Jun 07, 2020
New Delhi [India], June 7 : Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed 2nd supplementary prosecution complaint against Private builders/entities in Manesar land scam case under the provisions of PMLA, 2002. This prosecution complaint involves the attachment of properties worth Rs 108.79 crore, said ED.
ED initiated the money-laundering investigation on the basis of FIR registered at Manesar, Gurgaon police station and thereafter investigation taken up by Central Bureau of Investigation, ACB, Chandigarh against unknown public servants of Government of Haryana and unknown private persons.
In the FIR it was alleged that the Government of Haryana had issued notification u/s 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 on August 27, 2004, and had issued notification u/s 6 of the said Act on August 25, 2005, for the acquisition of land measuring about 912 acres for setting up an industrial model township in villages Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula of district Gurgaon.
A large number of landowners, in haste, had to sell about 400 acres of their land at throwaway rates to private builders which caused a wrongful loss of Rs 1,500 crores to the landowners of village Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula of District, Gurgaon and corresponding wrongful gains to themselves, the ED said.
Investigation under PMLA revealed that builders/ private entities extorted the land from the farmers/ landholders on meagre rates by exhibiting the fear of acquisition. Farmers/landholders under different fears sold their land to such private entities who ultimately, sold the same to various builders who obtained licences and gained handsome profits in a fraudulent manner.
The investigation further revealed that most of the lands were purchased by ABWIL Group which is controlled by Atul Bansal and after obtaining of licences; ABWIL sold the licensed / unlicensed land and licences to the private persons/ developers and thereby making huge profits. Further investigation, in this case, is under progress, the ED added.
