The Enforcement Directorate’s raids at various locations tied to builders and associates in Mohali and Chandigarh have stirred controversy in Punjab. The searches, part of an investigation into alleged fraud in obtaining Change of Land Use licenses, targeted the Suntec City project and several builders, including Ajay Sehgal, ABS Townships Pvt Ltd, Altus Builders, and Dhir Constructions. Nitin Gohal, accused of facilitating builders’ default on dues and having political connections, was also under scrutiny.
The raids extended to premises associated with Nitin Gohal, who allegedly acted as a mediator between builders and the Punjab government. Gohal, believed to have links to Rajbir Guhman, Officer on Special Duty to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, faced investigation as well. Punjab’s Leader of Opposition, Partap Singh Bajwa, seized the opportunity to criticize the Aam Aadmi Party government, claiming the ED’s actions supported Congress’s prior allegations against the ruling party.
Bajwa’s comments highlighted the alleged close ties between the Chief Minister and those involved in fraudulent activities, suggesting a significant amount of money had been illicitly transferred out of Punjab. The opposition leader estimated the embezzled funds to be between Rs 25,000-30,000 crore, urging authorities to track the money trail abroad. Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal of orchestrating a widespread corruption network in Punjab.
Majithia’s accusations encompassed various sectors, alleging corruption in land acquisition, real estate projects, illegal mining, and the liquor trade. He claimed that valuable lands were acquired at low prices from farmers and then handed over to developers, with kickbacks allegedly involved. Additionally, he pointed to illegal mining as a significant source of corruption, along with the liquor trade, where he alleged ties between the AAP leadership and certain businessmen and gangsters.
