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Haryana: ED initiates PO proceedings against ex-Samalkha MLA, son

The former Cong MLA and his son are accused of 500 crore-fraud involving 1,500 Gurugram homebuyers, says ED

Published on: Mar 29, 2025, 08:54:11 IST
By , Karnal
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Days after former Congress MLA Dharam Singh Chhoker and his son Vikas allegedly went absconding, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said that it has initiated proceedings to declare them proclaimed offenders (POs) in a multi-crore money laundering case.

Former Congress MLA Dharam Singh Chhoker (HT File)
Former Congress MLA Dharam Singh Chhoker (HT File)

“After issuance of multiple non bailable warrants, the special court, Gurugram, had issued proclamation against Dharam Singh Chhoker and Vikas Chhoker and directed them to appear before the court on May 19, 2025,” the agency said on Thursday.

This comes on the day the federal agency also attached fresh assets worth 44 crore belonging to the duo as well as the MLA’s other son Sikandar Chhoker, who is out on bail and their companies M/s Sai Aaina Farms Pvt. Ltd.

Dharam Singh Chhoker is a former MLA from Samalkha seat in Panipat. He was given a party ticket during last year’s assembly elections again, but he lost to BJP’s Manmohan Bhadana.

The ED in a statement said that the attachment is part of a money-laundering investigation linked to a “fraud with 1,500 homebuyers in Gurugram and siphoning of over 500 crore.”

The attached assets include 13 immovable properties (agricultural land of approximately 3 acres, commercial land of 2,487 square metres, 8 residential flats etc.) located in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad and Panipat. Moreover, movable properties in the form of fixed deposit receipts (FDRs) and money in bank accounts amounting to approximately 96 lakh belonging to various individuals have also been attached.

Earlier in February last year, properties valued at 36.52 crore in relation to M/s DS Home Construction Pvt Ltd, Sikandar Singh, Vikas Chhoker and others involved in the case were attached, the ED said.

The ED further said that in April last year, Sikandar Singh, the director of M/s DS Home Construction Pvt. Ltd., was arrested and a prosecution complaint in this case was filed in a special court in Gurugram.

In the statement, the ED said that they had initiated investigations on the basis of FIRs registered by Gurugram Police against M/s Sai Aaina Farms Pvt. Ltd. and associated concerns under various sections of IPC for cheating and forgery.

“The allegations involve the submission of forged documents, including fake bank guarantees; to obtain licenses for external and internal development works. This fraudulent activity was carried out in connection with a promised affordable housing projects at Sector 68, 103 and 104 Gurugram, where the company collected around 616 crore from 3700 home buyers,” it said.

“However, the company failed to deliver the houses within the promised timelines and misappropriated the funds. ED’s investigation revealed that the company siphoned off the funds by inflating construction costs through fake invoices from associated entities. The money was diverted for personal gains by the company’s directors and promoters. Furthermore, funds from home buyers were also transferred to other group entities as loans, which remain outstanding for years,” it added.