GURUGRAM: The district registrar has appointed an inquiry officer to probe allegations of governance failures, unauthorized dealings, and financial misconduct against the governing body of Esencia RWA in Sector 67.
This action follows complaints from residents who accused the RWA of entering an “illegal and malafide agreement” with a neighboring housing society, purportedly permitting access to lay water pipelines and electricity cables without necessary government approvals.
Complainants also raised concerns over financial mismanagement, highlighting undisclosed bank accounts, the lack of audits, and money collected from vendors without approval from the general body. In an order issued on Tuesday, Col Vipin Chopra (Retd) was appointed as the inquiry officer, tasked with verifying the claims and submitting a report within 45 days.
The order stated, “The inquiry officer will ascertain the facts claimed in the complaint and conduct a detailed inquiry into the RWA’s functioning as per the HRRS Act.” The Esencia RWA is expected to fully cooperate with the inquiry. Previously, residents had reached out to the deputy commissioner and the registrar requesting the suspension of the governing body, fresh elections, and a criminal investigation into alleged financial fraud.
They noted that the township remains under the ownership of the builder, Ansal API, which is currently insolvent, and that the RWA lacks the legal authority to sign agreements that impact the estate’s infrastructure. Additionally, on June 22, a general body meeting attended by residents passed unanimous resolutions condemning the RWA’s agreement with the neighboring housing project and adopted a no-confidence motion against the governing body.
Devender Singh Nehra, one of the complainants, stated, “Our township is still under the ownership of the developer, who is now in insolvency. The RWA’s role should only involve overseeing housekeeping, security, horticulture, and other essential services. They have no legal right to make agreements with another group housing project.”
Jayant Dhanda, another complainant, expressed, “Some members of the governing body have acted autocratically, signing unauthorized agreements and mismanaging residents’ funds. We demand the suspension of the current body and a criminal investigation into financial irregularities.”
In response, the RWA has vehemently denied the allegations, labeling them as “politically motivated.” RWA president Govind Chauhan stated, “We cancelled the agreement following the general body meeting on July 29. The complainants, who are attempting to tarnish the RWA’s reputation, are themselves land grabbers. We have done nothing wrong. We welcome the inquiry and will cooperate fully. Our roads are in poor condition, and it is impossible to rebuild them solely with residents’ contributions. When authorities and political leaders refused to act, we sought solutions. Most residents support me, while only a few are trying to undermine the RWA.”
