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Now, GMADA’s land use change for Mullanpur projects under ED lens
ED has found that portions of land in GMADA’s Eco City-3 project and Sector 84 were allegedly redesignated from “educational use to residential use” after land acquisition, leading to a steep 100% jump in land prices within a short period
Expanding its money laundering probe into fraudulent change of land use, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is now scrutinising land procurement linked to GMADA’s upcoming Eco City-3 project and other proposed urban zones in Mullanpur (New Chandigarh).
The central agency’s crackdown began on May 8, when it had launched search and seizure operations against two real estate groups — Suntec City (Indian Cooperative Housing Building Society) and Altus Space Builders Private Limited — over allegations of fraudulent change of land use (CLU) approvals through the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA), and cheating of landowners and buyers.
The probe widened after the ED found that portions of land in GMADA’s Eco City-3 project and Sector 84 were allegedly redesignated from “educational use to residential use” after land acquisition, leading to a steep 100% jump in land prices within a short period.
“After some land was procured, GMADA notified certain education-zone areas as residential zones. As a result, the land price jumped from nearly ₹3.5 crore per acre to around ₹7 crore per acre within two months. Some suspected benami transactions are also under scrutiny,” an ED official said.
As part of the investigation, ED teams have visited the Majri tehsil in New Chandigarh, and sought detailed revenue and ownership records from multiple tehsil offices in Mohali district. The agency has collected jamabandis, mutation records, sale deeds and registry details related to land acquired for Eco City-3, low-density housing projects and commercial corridors under the New Chandigarh master plan.
Investigators are also examining the role of property dealers, middlemen and firms suspected of facilitating speculative or benami land purchases before the official acquisition notifications.
Through a written request to the Majri tehsildar office, accessed by HT, the agency has also procured details of land procured in the name of a private individual Peeyush Bhalla, who, officials claimed, is linked with several bureaucrats and was allegedly involved in land procurement for IAS and PCS officers’ colony at New Chandigarh.
Land registration after working hours questioned
In another aspect of the probe, the ED has questioned the registration process involving a land transaction between Altus Space Builders Private Limited and Dhir Constructions during the tenure of then urban development minister Aman Arora.
The minister, according to ED, shares close ties with Gaurav Dhir of Dhir Constructions. The minister has denied any involvement, stating that although Dhir was his friend, he had no connection with his business dealings.
Officials said the agency has sought an explanation from the Majri tehsildar regarding how the land registration for a group housing project was processed after official working hours.
Investigators have also reportedly recovered two separate sale agreements related to the same land parcel, which were allegedly not disclosed at the time of registration.
Sources said the ED is examining whether irregular land transfers, undervaluation or concealed agreements were used to facilitate questionable transactions linked to high-value urban projects in New Chandigarh.
Revenue officials confirmed that ED teams had visited the Majri tehsil and some tehsil offices in Ludhiana in connection with the investigation.
“They sought records related to specific individuals and land transactions. Some documents have already been provided, while replies in other cases are being compiled,” an official said.
