Two FIRs registered by the Punjab Police in Mohali after a series of inquiries between 2020 and 2024 have become the basis for Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids conducted across 12 locations on Thursday, including the residences of close aides of AAP’s Punjab president Aman Arora. The raids relate to alleged real-estate fraud, forged Change of Land Use (CLU) approvals, cheating of landowners and homebuyers, and suspected money laundering linked to the ‘Suntec City’ project of the Indian Cooperative Housing Building Society and Altus Space Builders Pvt Ltd.

In a statement issued after the raids, the ED said it had conducted “search and seizure operations on two real-estate groups involved in fraudulent Change of Land Use and duping of customers and land owners.” The agency’s action was based on two FIRs registered in Mohali – FIR No. 123 dated November 19, 2022, at Police Station Mullanpur, SAS Nagar, and FIR No. 7 dated February 1, 2024, at Police Station Phase-11, SAS Nagar.

According to the ED, raids led to the seizure of around Rs 1 crore in cash along with incriminating documents and digital devices. The agency also alleged that at the start of the raids, Rs 21 lakh in cash was thrown from a balcony before being recovered by officials. The probe concerns alleged forgery of landowner documents, illegal procurement of CLU approvals, unauthorized sale of plots, diversion of funds, and generation of proceeds of crime.

Here are the two FIRs

FIR No. 123: Suntec City project

The first FIR originated from complaints filed in 2020 by Karamjit Singh of village Palheri, SAS Nagar, against office-bearers of the Indian Cooperative Housing Building Society and notary public Manvinder Singh. Complaint No. 709/P/SSP dated February 26, 2020, was followed by another complaint dated November 24, 2020, jointly filed by other landowners.

The complainants alleged that the society prepared forged consent letters and fabricated documents related to their land to secure CLU approvals for the ‘Suntec City’ mega project. They claimed forged signatures and thumb impressions were used.

The first inquiry was conducted by IPS officer Harmandeep Hans, then SP (Investigation), SAS Nagar. In Report No. 180/5S/SP (Investigation) dated November 25, 2020, Hans found that 53 kanals and 18 marlas of land belonging to Karamjit Singh had allegedly been included in forged consent documents.

The report stated that forged consent letters carrying fake signatures of the complainant and forged signatures and thumb impressions of 14 others were allegedly prepared in 2014 as part of a conspiracy to obtain CLU approvals without genuine consent. The inquiry noted that the accused failed to produce supporting records or witnesses, and discrepancies in witness details appeared deliberate.

Hans recommended registration of a criminal case under Sections 406, 420, 467, 468, 471, and 120-B IPC against society office-bearers Suresh Kumar Bajaj (President), Ashish Kamra (Vice President), Ajay Sehgal (Secretary), and Rajesh Girdhar (Treasurer).

However, the DDA Legal branch, in a letter dated January 9, 2021, advised further investigation before registration of an FIR. It directed the police to verify the authority before whom the forged documents were allegedly used, obtain copies of the disputed documents, conduct an FSL examination of signatures, and examine witnesses.

A fresh inquiry was then assigned to PPS officer Vikram Brar, then DSP Kharar-2, Mullanpur. During this inquiry, neither the complainants nor the accused could produce the original consent letters allegedly used to obtain CLU approvals. Police records also noted that GMADA lacked original copies of the documents, making forensic comparison impossible.

The matter was again referred for legal opinion. District Attorney (Prosecution) Sanjeev Batra, in his opinion dated December 15, 2021, observed that no prima facie dishonest intention to usurp land or cheat had surfaced against the society and its office-bearers. He also noted the society was willing to pay market value for the land. Based on this opinion, the complaints were closed on December 23, 2021.

The matter resurfaced in 2022 after proceedings in CRWP No. 9767 of 2022 titled ‘Bahadur Singh and another versus State of Punjab and another’. Following directions from the Director, Bureau of Investigation, Punjab, a fresh review was conducted. SP (Investigation) Amandeep, in a report dated November 19, 2022, noted that original consent letters allegedly submitted before GMADA and RERA remained unavailable, and even society office-bearers failed to produce them. The disappearance of the documents was described as suspicious.

The inquiry concluded that office-bearers had prima facie prepared forged consent letters in conspiracy to obtain CLU approvals and allegedly usurp complainants’ land. It recommended registration of a case under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471, 472, and 120-B of IPC against Suresh Kumar Bajaj, Ashish Kamra, Ajay Sehgal, and Rajesh Girdhar. Citing the Supreme Court judgment in ‘Lalita Kumari vs Government of Uttar Pradesh’ (2013), the report recommended mandatory FIR registration. FIR No. 123 was subsequently registered on November 19, 2022.

In its May 2026 statement, the ED alleged that Suresh Kumar Bajaj and Ajay Sehgal prepared fake consent letters relating to 30.5 acres belonging to 15 landowners. The agency claimed forged signatures and thumb impressions were used to secure CLU approval for the Suntec City project, after which more than Rs 150 crore was collected by admitting members without executing sale deeds.

The ED further alleged that Ajay Sehgal developed the ‘La Canela’ residential complex and ‘District 7’ commercial complex using CLU permissions obtained through forged consent letters. According to the agency, all units in these projects were sold, generating proceeds of crime. The ED also said GMADA later cancelled the society’s licence following litigation before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

FIR No. 7: Altus Space Builders case

The second FIR stemmed from complaints filed on October 5, 2023, by Gurpreet Kaur of Chandigarh, Sukhpreet Singh of Ludhiana, and Harbans Kaur of Chandigarh.

The complainants alleged that Altus Space Builders Pvt Ltd sold residential plots in its ‘Millennium Court’ project at village Nagiari, Mohali, falsely claiming final CLU approval from GMADA had already been obtained, while concealing that the approval was conditional and later cancelled.

The inquiry, conducted by SP (Rural), SAS Nagar, found that the company planned the project in 2011 and applied for CLU approval only on December 12, 2011, despite plots allegedly being sold before approval. Investigators concluded the company lacked sufficient land required for CLU approval and that the project was never developed.

Police records showed Gurpreet Kaur allegedly paid Rs 5 lakh through bank transfer and Rs 7.5 lakh in cash on June 4, 2011. Amarjit Kaur, mother of Sukhpreet Singh, allegedly paid Rs 34 lakh, including Rs 32 lakh in cash, while Harbans Kaur allegedly paid Rs 14 lakh, including Rs 12 lakh in cash. Receipts allegedly issued by CEO Harpreet Singh acknowledging cash payments were also examined.

Investigators found that despite receiving money, the company neither executed sale deeds nor handed over possession, even after nearly 13 years. The inquiry concluded that company directors and officials had prima facie committed criminal breach of trust and cheating.

Following approval by SSP SAS Nagar on January 27, 2024, FIR No. 7 was registered on February 1, 2024, under Sections 406, 420, and 120-B of IPC against Mohinder Singh, Harpreet Singh, Gurtej Singh Saran, Jaswinder Singh, Hardev Kaur Saran, and Narinder Singh Sidhu.

The ED further alleged that Gaurav Dhir of Dhir Constructions, through M/s Suncity Projects, purchased the Altus project for Rs 130 crore by undervaluing it by more than Rs 170 crore. The agency claimed Dhir is a close associate of senior AAP leader Aman Arora. It also alleged that middlemen Nitin Gohal and Pritpal Singh Dhindsa facilitated political patronage and protection. According to the ED, documents seized during the raids indicate interference by private individuals in Punjab government functioning.

AAP Punjab President Aman Arora rejected the allegations, accusing the BJP of using central agencies to target Opposition leaders. He said AAP leaders were not afraid of the ED or CBI and described the action as political intimidation aimed at silencing Opposition voices. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, too, had denied any association with any of those under ED’s ongoing investigation.