Enforcement Directorate Files Chargesheet in Mohali Guava Orchards Scam
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken a big step in cracking down on the multi-crore guava orchards compensation scam in Mohali, Punjab. On September 11, the ED’s Jalandhar zonal office filed a fresh prosecution complaint, or chargesheet, against 16 people in a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court. This move targets the money laundering angle of the case, which involves huge wrongful claims for land compensation.
At the center of the scam are key accused like Bhupinder Singh and Vikas Bhandari, along with 14 others. The ED started its probe based on a First Information Report (FIR) from the Punjab Vigilance Bureau. That FIR charged them under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act for their roles in the fraud.
Here’s how the scam unfolded, according to the ED’s investigation. Private individuals teamed up with corrupt government officials to claim fake compensation for guava orchards on land meant for the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA). The land was up for acquisition to build the Aerotropolis Residential Project near IT City in SAS Nagar, Mohali.
The accused pulled off a clever trick: They bought or leased the land right after Section 11 of the Land Acquisition Act kicked in, purely to pocket the compensation money for non-existent guava trees. To make it work, they forged revenue records with the help of revenue officials. They also got fake positive reports from Horticulture Development Officers (HDOs) about the orchards. And they roped in GMADA officers to approve the bogus claims.
All this dirty work let them generate crores of rupees in illegal proceeds of crime, as the ED puts it. The scam highlights how greed and corruption can derail major development projects like the one in Mohali.
This isn’t the ED’s first action in the guava orchards scam. Back on March 27 last year, they raided several locations and seized incriminating documents. They also attached properties worth Rs 9.87 crore linked to the accused. With this new chargesheet, the agency aims to hold everyone involved accountable under money laundering laws.
Stay tuned for updates on this Punjab land scam case, as the court proceedings could reveal more twists in the tale.
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