J.S.Kaler/Chandigarh
Following summons by the Enforcement Directorate, IAS officer Kanwal Preet Brar appeared at the Jalandhar office of the investigation agency on Tuesday in connection with an ongoing case of money-laundering. The matter pertains to the granting of modified Change of Land Use (CLU) permissions for the Suntec City project in Mohali.
The 2007-batch Punjab cadre officer, Brar has been serving as the Secretary in the Health and Family Welfare Department, Punjab. However, the investigation being carried out by the ED pertains to her tenure when she was serving as the Director, Town and Country Planning, in 2024. She reached the office at 10:25 am carrying some documents with her. The ED officials are expected to question her about the processing and approval of CLU permissions allegedly based on forged consent documents.
It is expected that after Brar, more officers who were posted in the Housing Department during 2024 may also be summoned for the ongoing probe. The ED case is based on a police complaint filed by Karamjit Singh, a landowner from Palheri village in Mohali, in 2020. It has been alleged that the promoters of Suntec City prepared forged consent letters for his land along with that of 14 other farmers.
Following investigation by then Mohali SP Harmandeep Hans, an FIR was registered at the Mullanpur police station in November 2022. This case subsequently became the basis for the ED’s money-laundering investigation. Subsequently, raids were conducted at 12 locations in Mohali and Chandigarh.
The ED questioned officials and Suntek City promoter Ajay Sehgal. During the ED’s action, the residence of businessman Nitin Goyal was also raided. According to reports, during this operation, Rs 21 lakh in cash was thrown down from the 9th floor. After questioning, the ED had arrested Ajay Sehgal.
Ever since, the ED has widened its probe to cover alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) and the Housing Department. The ED has already questioned several senior officials and sought complete records of CLUs granted to Suntec City and other projects.
Punjab
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