The Enforcement Directorate (ED) seized four luxury cars, jewellery worth Rs 14.5 lakh and Rs 4.5 lakh in cash after conducting raids against Congress Party’s Harayana MLA Dharam Singh Chhoker and companies owned and controlled by him. This was done by the agency in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged fraud with homebuyers, said the ED on Monday as reported by news agency PTI. The action under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act was taken after it launched searches against the Samalkha (Panipat) MLA and others on July 25, the investigating agency said in an official statement.
The ED has so far conducted raids at eleven locations in Samalkha, Gurugram and Delhi belonging to Sai Aaina Farms Pvt Ltd (presently Mahira Infratech Pvt Ltd) and other group companies of Mahira Group "owned and controlled" by Chhoker and his family, reported PTI.
The money laundering case comes after an FIR registered by the Gurugram Police against the accused and Sai Aaina Farms Pvt Ltd for "cheating and forgery". The firm allegedly collected about Rs 360 crore from 1,497 homebuyers under the affordable housing scheme on the promise of providing homes at Sector 68 in Gurugram, near Delhi, said the ED citing the FIR.
Notably, the agency also said that Chhoker and his sons, Sikander Singh and Vikas Chhoker, and other key employees remained "absent" during the searches. It further added they have not joined the investigation as of now, reported PTI.
Earlier also on July 25, the ED had conducted several raids on premises connected to Congress Chhoker and his family, reported The Tribune. Before that, a joint team of the ED and Income Tax (IT) Department had raided his offices, residence premises and other business institutions on March 17, 2021. The ED team had conducted a search operation at the petrol pump at Sai Enclave linked to him, Samalkha, and his residence in Gurugram.