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In a major action, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has temporarily attached land worth over ₹598 crore (approximately $1.5 billion). This land is located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. The case relates to the real estate company Ansal Properties and Infrastructure Limited (APIL).
The ED initiated this investigation based on a CBI FIR. This FIR was filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the instructions of the Supreme Court. It is alleged that widespread irregularities were committed in the land acquisition and subsequent release process in Gurugram.
The case relates to Gurugram.
The case concerns land in Sectors 58 to 63 and 65 to 67 in Gurugram, Haryana. This land was initially acquired for public purposes, such as development and land bank creation by the HUDA. However, due to alleged collusion, the land was later released to private builders.
What the ED Investigation Revealed
The ED investigation revealed that APIL obtained agreements and General Powers of Attorney (GPAs) from landowners at a time when the land had already been notified for acquisition. It is alleged that many agreements were entered into without proper payment, essential terms were unclear, and some documents were later modified.
The acquisition process diminished the bargaining power of landowners. Consequently, the land was allegedly sold to private companies at prices significantly below market value. This benefited the company and harmed the farmers/landowners.
Licenses and Projects
The Town and Country Planning Department of Haryana issued licenses numbered 18/2010, 21/2011, and 26/2012 to APIL to develop a colony on 142.306 acres of land. This land was located in village Badshahpur, Gurugram. Projects named Esencia and Versalia were developed on this land. These projects are now fully developed, and the flats/plots have been sold to third-party buyers.
Why was the Agra land attached?
Since the projects built on the Gurugram land have been sold and are occupied by ordinary people, the ED, instead of taking action there, attached other land in Agra. According to the investigation, this land is in the name of APIL’s affiliated companies and individuals, but the company itself retains actual control. This is why the ED seized property worth ₹598 crore in Agra in connection with a money laundering case against Ansal Properties and Infrastructure Limited.
