The Punjab housing and urban development department has held that GMADA’s appellate authority-cum-additional chief administrator Amarinder Singh Malhi overlooked key construction approvals while granting nearly ₹ 40 crore in concessions to Delhi-based developer Remigate Buildestates (India) Pvt Ltd for a commercial site in Mohali.
The development comes amid an Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into the allotment and waiver of dues. The federal agency has written to the Punjab Police seeking registration of an FIR against GMADA officials and the company’s directors over alleged irregularities in land dealings. On October 17, ED had arrested the company’s promoter, Jagmohan Garg, in connection with its money-laundering investigation into the alleged irregularities.
“As the principal secretary has passed a detailed order, now the ED probe will focus on the officers who overlooked the material facts,” said an official of the Punjab Urban Development Authority, not wishing to be named.
The ED’s investigation has extended to officials involved in the allotment, engineering assessments and the subsequent waiver of dues. In August, the agency summoned three GMADA officials—chief engineer Ajay Garg, former chief engineer Sunil Kansal and then land acquisition officer Hardeep Singh—to furnish records and documentary evidence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). It must communicate an itemised statement to the company within two weeks, following which the company will have one month to clear the dues. Failure to pay could lead to proceedings for resumption of the site and forfeiture, subject to statutory notice and a reasonable opportunity of hearing.
Officials said the ED will summon more officers linked to the allotment and waiver.
The case pertains to the allotment of a 1.13-acre food court site in Sector 62, Mohali, to Remigate for ₹ 32.50 crore through an auction in September 2015.
