Dehradun: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth ₹13.89 crore in connection with the NH-74 land compensation scam. The action has been taken under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, targeting proceeds of crime generated through alleged manipulation of land records.
Probe initiated on the basis of FIR
The ED’s Dehradun Sub-Zonal Office began its investigation based on an FIR registered at Pantnagar police station in Udham Singh Nagar district. Preliminary findings indicated large-scale irregularities in the land acquisition process for the highway widening project, following which the agency traced the money trail.
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According to the investigation, the accused — Dilbagh Singh, Jarnail Singh, Baljeet Kaur and Dalwinder Singh — allegedly, in collusion with officials and middlemen:
Secured backdated orders
- Converted agricultural land into non-agricultural category in revenue records
- Claimed compensation at higher non-agricultural rates for land acquired for the NH project
Through this process, they allegedly obtained ₹26.02 crore in excess compensation, far above the legally admissible amount.
Proceeds invested in properties
The ED found that the additional compensation was routed into the purchase of various assets. Properties valued at ₹13.89 crore, identified as proceeds of crime, have now been attached. These reportedly include land parcels, buildings and other investments.
The agency is also examining:
- How land-use change orders were issued
- The process of alteration in revenue records
- The role of officials involved in compensation assessment
This suggests the scope of the probe may widen further.
What is the NH-74 scam?
The NH-74 scam relates to alleged manipulation of land records during the highway widening project, where several plots were shown as non-agricultural to inflate compensation amounts, causing substantial loss to the public exchequer.
The ED said the investigation into the money trail is ongoing and additional attachments may follow. Prosecution proceedings against the accused and other beneficiaries are expected to be initiated.
The action is being seen as a significant step toward recovery of illicit gains and fixing accountability in one of the major land compensation fraud cases linked to highway expansion.
