The Enforcement Directorate has attached immovable properties worth ₹598 crore in connection with a money laundering case against Ansal Properties and Infrastructure Ltd (APIL), escalating the scrutiny over controversial land transactions in Gurugram.
Supreme Court-Ordered CBI Probe
The action stems from a case originally registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation on the directions of the Supreme Court of India. The federal probe agency subsequently initiated proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act after examining the findings in the FIR.
Gurugram Land Acquisition Irregularities
The case revolves around alleged large-scale irregularities in the acquisition and subsequent release of land parcels located in Sectors 58 to 63 and 65 to 67 of Gurugram, Haryana. The land had initially been notified for acquisition under Sections 4 and 6 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, for stated public purposes, including development by the Haryana Urban Development Authority and creation of a land bank.
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Fraudulent Land Release Allegations
Investigators allege that substantial portions of this notified land were later released in favour of private colonisers through what has been described as a fraudulent and collusive process. According to the agency’s findings, the release of land allegedly diluted statutory safeguards meant to protect landowners and compromised transparency in matters involving public acquisition.
Collaboration Agreements and GPA Issues
During the course of investigation, it emerged that APIL entered into collaboration agreements with individual landowners and secured General Power of Attorney (GPA) rights over parcels that had already been brought under acquisition notification. These agreements are alleged to have suffered from serious deficiencies, including the absence of monetary consideration prior to issuance of the Section 4 notification, lack of essential contractual clauses and alleged alterations made after execution.
Licences Granted for Residential Projects
The probe further indicates that once the state government issued acquisition notifications, the notified status of the land created uncertainty and weakened the bargaining position of individual landholders. In this backdrop, transfers were allegedly facilitated in favour of private entities at rates significantly below prevailing market prices. Investigators claim this resulted in wrongful gains to the company while landowners suffered financial losses.
Alternative Assets Attached in Agra
Based on these arrangements, licences were granted by the Haryana Department of Town and Country Planning to APIL for development of residential plotted colonies over 142.306 acres in village Badshahpur, Gurugram. Out of the total collaborated land, 42.751 acres that had earlier been notified for acquisition were subsequently released to enable grant of licences.
Homebuyers Protected by Provisional Attachment
The land was used to develop residential projects branded as ‘Esencia’ and ‘Versalia’. As the projects have already been completed and units sold to third-party buyers, the original parcels no longer retain their physical identity. To avoid disturbing residents and protect homebuyers who purchased properties in good faith, the agency refrained from attaching the developed land directly.
Ongoing Money Laundering Investigation
Instead, it provisionally attached alternative immovable assets located in several villages of Agra, Uttar Pradesh. These properties, valued collectively at ₹598 crore, are allegedly linked to the proceeds of crime generated through the Gurugram land transactions.
According to the agency, the attached properties are held in the names of associate companies and individuals purportedly acting on behalf of APIL. The investigation has indicated that these entities functioned as land-holding vehicles, while funding, operational control and beneficial ownership allegedly remained with the parent company.
The money laundering probe is continuing, with investigators examining financial trails and the role of associated entities in the alleged diversion and layering of funds.
About the author – Rehan Khan is a law student and legal journalist with a keen interest in cybercrime, digital fraud, and emerging technology laws. He writes on the intersection of law, cybersecurity, and online safety, focusing on developments that impact individuals and institutions in India.
