Tag: Enforcement Directorate

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ED raids Gurugram’s 32nd Avenue over ₹500 crore scam

NEW DELHI: On Monday, the Enforcement Directorate executed raids targeting a real estate group based in Gurugram as part of an investigation into an alleged ₹500 crore fraud involving investors, officials reported. Authorities searched seven locations associated with the entity known as 32nd Avenue, which operates in Delhi-NCR and Goa. The company or its promoter has not yet responded to requests for comment. According to ED officials, the case arises from multiple FIRs filed by Haryana Police, prompted by complaints from investors who claim to have been defrauded by the group. The promoter-directors of the group are currently either evading…

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ED Seizes ₹6 Crore in Homebuyers’ Fraud Case Against Earth Infrastructures

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has confiscated ₹6.3 crore in cash and jewellery valued at ₹7.5 crore during investigations into a Delhi-based real estate company accused of defrauding homebuyers, which is currently facing insolvency proceedings, as reported on Saturday. The operation, conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), began on Friday, targeting 10 locations associated with former directors, promoters, and related entities of Earth Infrastructures Ltd. (EIL) in Delhi and Gurugram. The company has been undergoing a corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP) since June 2018, according to official records. The ED’s investigation was prompted by five FIRs…

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SC orders Nowhera to surrender in a week, ties bail to deeds

File Photo HYDERABAD: On Wednesday, the Supreme Court directed Nowhera Shaik, the chief of Heera Group, to surrender to the appropriate jail authorities within a week. The court warned that non-compliance would lead to the issuance of a non-bailable warrant. Furthermore, the possibility of future bail considerations will be contingent upon her cooperation in executing pending sale deeds. This directive stems from the court’s findings that Nowhera has failed to cooperate in executing 16 sale deeds for auction purchasers, despite the Enforcement Directorate (ED) having already received the full payment. The court described the situation as a large-scale fraud, involving…

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ED Investigates Financial Ties of Kolkata’s Merlin Group

KOLKATA | NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) announced on Thursday that it is probing potential financial connections between a Kolkata real estate firm and several politicians and government officials in West Bengal as part of a money laundering investigation. Following raids at seven locations tied to the Merlin Group (Merlin Projects Limited) and its founders Sushil Mohta and Saket Mohta, investigators seized certain “incriminating” digital devices and documents. The company has stated it is fully cooperating with the investigation and maintains that all of its transactions are transparent. “Merlin Group is aware of the ongoing inquiry by the Enforcement…

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ED Raids Seven Properties Linked to Kolkata’s Merlin Group

KOLKATA | NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at the premises of Kolkata-based real estate firm Merlin Group and its promoters on Wednesday as part of a money laundering inquiry, officials confirmed. Approximately seven locations connected to the company and its promoters, Sushil Mohta and Saket Mohta, were raided under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). A response from Merlin Group regarding the searches is still pending. The promoters and the company are under scrutiny by the federal agency for allegedly fabricating a “false” chain of title with “forged” documents, which has raised land grabbing allegations. This…

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ED Seizes ₹944 Crore in Properties Linked to Housing Fraud

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized immovable assets valued at approximately Rs 944 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. This action is tied to allegations of failure to deliver housing units to more than 1,500 homebuyers in Haryana and Rajasthan, officials reported on Monday. The affected projects are situated in Palwal, Faridabad, Rewari, and Bhiwadi, where buyers allegedly did not receive possession even after making payments, the agency stated. In a recent announcement, the ED indicated it “has provisionally attached immovable properties worth about Rs 944 crore, owned by Piyush Colonisers Limited, former promoters of the…

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ED Seizes ₹270 Crore in Assets from Ex-Lodha Director Rajendra

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) announced on Monday the attachment of land parcels and other immovable assets exceeding Rs 270 crore as part of its money laundering probe against Rajendra Lodha, former director of Lodha Developers, a realty firm based in Maharashtra. A provisional order was issued on March 26 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which values the properties at Rs 271.48 crore, according to the ED’s statement. The attached assets include lands situated in the Panvel and Shahapur talukas of Maharashtra. Lodha was arrested by the ED in February and is currently in judicial custody.…

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Bombay HC: Banks Can’t Claim Priority on PMLA-Attached Properties

NAGPUR: The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has delivered a landmark ruling affecting financial institutions and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The court determined that banks’ recovery laws cannot supersede the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), highlighting the government’s priority action against ‘proceeds of crime’. A division bench consisting of Justices Mukulika Jawalkar and Nandesh Deshpande annulled an order from the appellate tribunal that permitted banks, including HDFC Bank and Punjab National Bank, to enforce secured interests over properties seized by the ED in a money laundering case involving alleged misconduct in coal block allocation. The court declared…

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Delhi Police EOW Files Fraud Case Against Gurugram’s Experion Developers

GURUGRAM: The Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police has registered an FIR against Gurugram-based real estate firm Experion Developers Private Limited and its affiliate, Experion Capital Private Limited, for fraud. This action follows a complaint lodged by the Enforcement Directorate, according to an official statement released on Thursday. The ED’s complaint originated from its inquiry into a money laundering case involving Religare Finvest Limited (RFL). As per ED findings, former RFL promoters Malvinder Mohan Singh and Shivinder Mohan Singh allegedly misappropriated around Rs 2,036 crore from RFL through entities that they directly or indirectly control. Investigations revealed that the…

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ED Flags Indian Credit Card Transactions for Dubai Real Estate

MUMBAI: As rain dampens Dubai, the property market faces stress, prompting Indian buyers who used credit cards for their purchases in Dubai to receive notices from the Enforcement Directorate (ED). These buyers often used international credit cards (ICCs) during their visits to the Emirates for initial deposits or clicked on developer-sent payment links, likely unaware that they were violating Indian laws. Sources indicate that at least three individuals received notices from the ED in February, inquiring about the source of their funds for these transactions. Credit card transactions are treated as short-term loans, and foreign exchange regulations restrict individuals from…