ED attaches land parcels worth ₹217.48 cr in cheating case

Rajendra Lodha is accused of cheating construction firm Lodha Developers Limited (LDL) while serving on its board of directors

MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached land and other immovable assets worth ₹217.48 crore in a money-laundering case against Rajendra Lodha and others. Lodha is accused of cheating construction firm Lodha Developers Limited (LDL) while serving on its board of directors.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached land and other immovable assets worth ₹217.48 crore in a money-laundering case against Rajendra Lodha and others. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/ Hindustan Times)

The attached assets include land parcels in Panvel and Shahapur. With this, the total value of assets seized or attached in the case has reached ₹359.48 crore. Lodha was arrested on February 12 and is currently in judicial custody.

The ED’s investigation is based on a Mumbai police case registered in September 2025 at NM Joshi Marg police station against 10 accused, including Lodha, following a complaint by LDL. The case includes charges such as cheating, misuse of position, unauthorised sale of assets, creating fake documents, and causing financial loss to LDL under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

ED’s investigation revealed that Lodha was allegedly involved in diverting, siphoning off funds and assets of LDL through unauthorised sales and transfer of several company-owned immovable properties at undervalued prices. These assets were allegedly sold, transferred to proxy entities and individuals connected to the accused, without the approval of the company’s board of directors.

The accused, Lodha, was also allegedly involved in the fabrication of certain Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for land deals at inflated prices. The extra amount was allegedly taken back in cash through the sellers, leading to misappropriation of company funds, said ED officials on Monday.

ED’s investigation further revealed that the accused, along with related persons, associates and entities, allegedly accumulated assets through fraudulent activities causing wrongful loss to LDL. Earlier, on November 12, 2025, the ED conducted searches at 14 locations in the Mumbai region under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), during which assets worth ₹88 crore were frozen or seized.