The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids in Punjab have increased pressure on the ruling Aam Aadmi Party after the agency referred to a close associate of Punjab AAP chief Aman Arora in its investigation details. The ED conducted searches at nearly 12 locations in Mohali linked to two real estate groups accused of using fake land documents, obtaining illegal Change of Land Use (CLU) approvals and cheating homebuyers and landowners. During the raids, officials alleged that two bags containing bundles of Rs 500 notes worth Rs 21 lakh were thrown from the ninth floor of Western Towers society in Kharar. The premises were reportedly linked to middleman Nitin Gohal. The agency said it recovered around Rs 1 crore in cash along with several important documents during the searches.
According to the ED, the searches were linked to projects involving Suntec City and Altus Space Builders Private Limited. The agency alleged that Gaurav Dhir of M/s Dhir Constructions and M/s Suncity Projects acquired the Altus project for Rs 130 crore after allegedly undervaluing it by more than Rs 170 crore. The ED described Gaurav Dhir as a close associate of Aman Arora in its official note. The investigation was launched on the basis of a Punjab Police FIR, while GMADA had earlier cancelled the licence of the housing society in November 2022. Aman Arora, who currently handles the Governance Reforms and Renewable Energy departments, denied wrongdoing after his name surfaced in media reports. He said his public life had always remained transparent and accused critics of spreading false propaganda.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann distanced the AAP government from the raids and described the matter as an old case unrelated to the party. Opposition leaders, however, intensified attacks on the ruling party after the ED release became public. Bikram Singh Majithia claimed the raids exposed AAP’s claims of honesty and demanded answers from the party leadership. Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar also questioned the chief minister’s statement, arguing that the ED itself had mentioned a close associate of the Punjab AAP chief. Leader of Opposition Pratap Singh Bajwa similarly accused the government of dismissing corruption allegations as political vendetta whenever such cases emerge. The political controversy surrounding the raids has continued to escalate across the state.
The ED alleged that in the Suntec City case, Suresh Kumar Bajaj and Ajay Sehgal prepared forged consent letters using fake signatures and thumb impressions of 15 landowners covering over 30 acres of land. Using those documents, they allegedly secured CLU approval and collected more than Rs 150 crore from buyers without executing proper sale deeds. Investigators further alleged that Ajay Sehgal developed La Canela residential complex and District 7 commercial complex using the same fake approvals. In the Altus Space Builders matter, promoter Mohinder Singh allegedly misled buyers by claiming the project had final CLU approval from GMADA despite the approval being conditional and later cancelled. Several complaints related to the project are currently pending before RERA, police authorities and consumer courts. The ED said a non-bailable warrant had also been issued against Mohinder Singh, who has been declared a proclaimed offender.
The agency additionally named middlemen Nitin Gohal and Pritpal Singh Dhindsa in the investigation. According to the ED, both allegedly provided “political patronage and protection” while interfering in government functioning. Investigators claimed they recovered documents during the raids suggesting such interference. Despite the political uproar, Aman Arora has not been named as an accused in any FIR or ED case so far. His name appeared only because the ED referred to Gaurav Dhir as his close associate. The investigation into the alleged money laundering, fake land approvals and financial irregularities remains ongoing. Authorities are expected to continue examining financial transactions and links connected to the real estate projects.
