In a crackdown on financial fraud, the Enforcement Directorate’s Lucknow Zonal Office has provisionally attached 75 immovable and two movable properties valued at Rs 158.85 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. These assets, exceeding Rs 350 crore in market value, are linked to M/s Rohtas Project Limited and its associates accused of deceiving homebuyers through unfulfilled township schemes.
The attached properties include assets worth Rs 141.21 crore registered in the names of Deepak Rastogi, the promoter of the Rohtas Group, associated companies, Vardan Township Private Limited, benami holders of the Rohtas Group, and M/s Adhyaye Realty Infrastructure LLP. Additionally, movable assets worth Rs 17.64 crore are under the name of M/s Highness Infra Developers Private Limited, all located in Lucknow.
The ED’s investigation originates from 33 FIRs filed by the Uttar Pradesh Police under various IPC sections. Rohtas Project Limited allegedly offered schemes like ‘Sultanpur Road Project’ and ‘Rohtas Plumeria’, promising possession after 30 months or a 150% refund, but failed to deliver, leaving buyers stranded.
According to the probe, the promoters diverted customer funds to buy lands through associated companies and benami entities. To hide these assets, holdings were transferred to Vardan Township Private Limited and M/s Adhyaye Realty Infrastructure LLP. Deepak Rastogi acquired some parcels from benamidars, mortgaging them with banks to integrate proceeds of crime and secure clean funds.
Previously, in October 2025, the ED had attached 68 immovable properties worth Rs 110.05 crore, bringing the total to Rs 268.9 crore. This case underscores the challenges in real estate, where fraudulent schemes exploit hopeful homeowners, resulting in financial losses for many middle-class families. The ED aims to recover laundered money and ensure justice through these attachments, with ongoing investigations and the possibility of more seizures.
Real estate experts advise buyers to verify developer credentials and choose RERA-registered projects to avoid falling victim to such scams.
