ED raids businessman linked to Punjab AAP chief in fake land papers case
ED raids in Punjab over an alleged real estate and land paper fraud have put the ruling AAP under pressure after the agency named Punjab AAP chief and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora's close associate in its probe.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids in Punjab have put the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) under pressure after the agency mentioned Punjab AAP chief and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora in its search details.
The ED carried out raids at around 12 locations in Punjab linked to two real estate groups in Mohali over an alleged fraud involving fake land documents, illegal Change of Land Use (CLU) approvals and cheating of homebuyers and landowners.
During the raids, two bags filled with bundles of Rs 500 notes worth Rs 21 lakh were allegedly thrown from the ninth floor of Western Towers society in Kharar, Mohali. The incident took place at premises linked to middleman Nitin Gohal. The ED said it recovered around Rs 1 crore in cash and several important documents during the searches.
The ED conducted the raids based on a Punjab Police FIR. GMADA had earlier cancelled the licence of the society in November 2022 and had also named an associate of Aman Arora.
According to the ED, the raids targeted Suntec City (Indian Cooperative Housing Building Society) and Altus Space Builders Private Limited.
The agency said Gaurav Dhir of M/s Dhir Constructions and M/s Suncity Projects bought the Altus project for only Rs 130 crores after allegedly undervaluing it by more than Rs 170 crores. The ED also described Gaurav Dhir as a close associate of Punjab AAP chief and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora.
Aman Arora currently handles the Governance Reforms and Renewable Energy departments. He had earlier served as Housing and Urban Development Minister between July 2022 and March 2023.
After his name surfaced in media reports linked to the ED release, Aman Arora said, “I have come to know from media reports that my name has figured in ED’s raids today. My entire life was, is & will always be above board. Not going to be bowed down by such false propagandas.”
Reacting strongly after his name surfaced, Aman Arora said he was being deliberately targeted and defamed. “My name was taken to target me, defame me. I had no clue raids were taking place,” he said.
Arora admitted that he shares a personal relationship with Gaurav Dhir and said, “Gaurav Dhir is like a brother to me. I am clean, and I have a friendship with a businessman. I will stand with him till the time he is clean.” He also clarified that he had no business dealings with Dhir.
The Punjab minister further accused the BJP of misusing agencies ahead of elections. “Wherever there is an election, the BJP has this modus operandi,” he alleged.
Aman Arora also challenged the ED and said he was ready to cooperate fully with the probe. “I challenge the ED, I will come to you. This is my number, and they can carry out a forensic investigation. The numbers of other businessmen are not even on my phone,” he said.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann earlier said the ED raids had no connection with AAP. Speaking in Amritsar, Mann said, “They are here regarding an old matter. They can check anywhere.”
Opposition parties attacked AAP after Aman Arora’s name appeared in the ED note. Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia said the raids had exposed AAP’s “kattar imaandaar” image.
He said the ED had officially named Gaurav Dhir as a close associate of Aman Arora in the CLU fraud and money laundering case. Majithia demanded answers from the AAP leadership and alleged corruption in the Punjab government.
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar also targeted AAP. In a post on X, he said the ED action had exposed the truth behind the party’s claims of honesty. Jakhar questioned Bhagwant Mann’s statement that AAP had no link to the raids when the party’s Punjab chief was mentioned in the case.
Leader of Opposition Pratap Singh Bajwa also questioned the Punjab government. He said the ED had named Aman Arora in its official release despite the chief minister claiming the raids had nothing to do with AAP. Bajwa also accused AAP leaders of calling corruption allegations political vendetta whenever such cases come up.
The ED alleged that in the Suntec City case, Suresh Kumar Bajaj and Ajay Sehgal prepared fake consent letters with forged signatures and thumb impressions of 15 landowners for 30.5 acres of land. Using these documents, they allegedly got CLU approval for the project and collected more than Rs 150 crores from buyers without executing sale deeds.
The agency also accused Ajay Sehgal of developing La Canela residential complex and District 7 commercial complex using the same fake CLU approvals. The ED said all units in these projects were sold, generating proceeds of crime.
In the Altus Space Builders case, the ED alleged that promoter Mohinder Singh misled buyers by claiming the project had final CLU approval from GMADA, while hiding the fact that the approval was conditional and later cancelled. Several complaints have been filed against the project in RERA, police stations and consumer courts. A non-bailable warrant has also been issued against Mohinder Singh, who has been declared a proclaimed offender.
The ED also mentioned middlemen Nitin Gohal and Pritpal Singh Dhindsa in the case. The agency alleged that they provided “political patronage and protection” and interfered in government functioning. The ED said it recovered documents linked to such interference during the raids.
As of now, Aman Arora has not been named as an accused in any FIR or in the ED release. His name has appeared only because the ED described Gaurav Dhir as his close associate.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids in Punjab have put the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) under pressure after the agency mentioned Punjab AAP chief and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora in its search details.
The ED carried out raids at around 12 locations in Punjab linked to two real estate groups in Mohali over an alleged fraud involving fake land documents, illegal Change of Land Use (CLU) approvals and cheating of homebuyers and landowners.
During the raids, two bags filled with bundles of Rs 500 notes worth Rs 21 lakh were allegedly thrown from the ninth floor of Western Towers society in Kharar, Mohali. The incident took place at premises linked to middleman Nitin Gohal. The ED said it recovered around Rs 1 crore in cash and several important documents during the searches.
The ED conducted the raids based on a Punjab Police FIR. GMADA had earlier cancelled the licence of the society in November 2022 and had also named an associate of Aman Arora.
According to the ED, the raids targeted Suntec City (Indian Cooperative Housing Building Society) and Altus Space Builders Private Limited.
The agency said Gaurav Dhir of M/s Dhir Constructions and M/s Suncity Projects bought the Altus project for only Rs 130 crores after allegedly undervaluing it by more than Rs 170 crores. The ED also described Gaurav Dhir as a close associate of Punjab AAP chief and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora.
Aman Arora currently handles the Governance Reforms and Renewable Energy departments. He had earlier served as Housing and Urban Development Minister between July 2022 and March 2023.
After his name surfaced in media reports linked to the ED release, Aman Arora said, “I have come to know from media reports that my name has figured in ED’s raids today. My entire life was, is & will always be above board. Not going to be bowed down by such false propagandas.”
Reacting strongly after his name surfaced, Aman Arora said he was being deliberately targeted and defamed. “My name was taken to target me, defame me. I had no clue raids were taking place,” he said.
Arora admitted that he shares a personal relationship with Gaurav Dhir and said, “Gaurav Dhir is like a brother to me. I am clean, and I have a friendship with a businessman. I will stand with him till the time he is clean.” He also clarified that he had no business dealings with Dhir.
The Punjab minister further accused the BJP of misusing agencies ahead of elections. “Wherever there is an election, the BJP has this modus operandi,” he alleged.
Aman Arora also challenged the ED and said he was ready to cooperate fully with the probe. “I challenge the ED, I will come to you. This is my number, and they can carry out a forensic investigation. The numbers of other businessmen are not even on my phone,” he said.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann earlier said the ED raids had no connection with AAP. Speaking in Amritsar, Mann said, “They are here regarding an old matter. They can check anywhere.”
Opposition parties attacked AAP after Aman Arora’s name appeared in the ED note. Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia said the raids had exposed AAP’s “kattar imaandaar” image.
He said the ED had officially named Gaurav Dhir as a close associate of Aman Arora in the CLU fraud and money laundering case. Majithia demanded answers from the AAP leadership and alleged corruption in the Punjab government.
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar also targeted AAP. In a post on X, he said the ED action had exposed the truth behind the party’s claims of honesty. Jakhar questioned Bhagwant Mann’s statement that AAP had no link to the raids when the party’s Punjab chief was mentioned in the case.
Leader of Opposition Pratap Singh Bajwa also questioned the Punjab government. He said the ED had named Aman Arora in its official release despite the chief minister claiming the raids had nothing to do with AAP. Bajwa also accused AAP leaders of calling corruption allegations political vendetta whenever such cases come up.
The ED alleged that in the Suntec City case, Suresh Kumar Bajaj and Ajay Sehgal prepared fake consent letters with forged signatures and thumb impressions of 15 landowners for 30.5 acres of land. Using these documents, they allegedly got CLU approval for the project and collected more than Rs 150 crores from buyers without executing sale deeds.
The agency also accused Ajay Sehgal of developing La Canela residential complex and District 7 commercial complex using the same fake CLU approvals. The ED said all units in these projects were sold, generating proceeds of crime.
In the Altus Space Builders case, the ED alleged that promoter Mohinder Singh misled buyers by claiming the project had final CLU approval from GMADA, while hiding the fact that the approval was conditional and later cancelled. Several complaints have been filed against the project in RERA, police stations and consumer courts. A non-bailable warrant has also been issued against Mohinder Singh, who has been declared a proclaimed offender.
The ED also mentioned middlemen Nitin Gohal and Pritpal Singh Dhindsa in the case. The agency alleged that they provided “political patronage and protection” and interfered in government functioning. The ED said it recovered documents linked to such interference during the raids.
As of now, Aman Arora has not been named as an accused in any FIR or in the ED release. His name has appeared only because the ED described Gaurav Dhir as his close associate.
