Gurugram: ED Freezes Assets Worth Rs 44.55 Crore Linked to Ex-MLA's Firm
Click to start listening
Synopsis
The ED has provisionally attached assets worth Rs 44.55 crore linked to former MLA Dharam Singh Chhoker and his sons due to allegations of cheating homebuyers and misappropriating funds.
Key Takeaways
- Assets worth Rs 44.55 crore provisionally attached.
- Involvement of over 1500 homebuyers affected.
- Investigation based on multiple FIRs by Gurugram Police.
- Allegations of fraud and forgery in housing projects.
- Ongoing investigations and prior asset attachments noted.
Gurugram, March 27 (NationPress) - The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) from the Gurugram Zonal office has provisionally frozen assets valued at Rs 44.55 crore associated with former MLA Dharam Singh Chhoker, along with his two sons Sikandar Chhoker and Vikas Chhoker, as well as their companies, including M/s Sai Aaina Farms Pvt. Ltd., under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The investigation pertains to the cheating of over 1500 homebuyers and the misappropriation of more than Rs 500 crore.
Following the issuance of multiple Non-Bailable Warrants (NBWs), the Special Court in Gurugram has proclaimed against Dharam Singh Chhoker and Vikas Chhoker, who continue to evade arrest, and has summoned them to appear in court by May 19, 2025. In contrast, Sikandar Chhoker is currently out on bail.
The seized assets encompass 13 immovable properties (including approximately three acres of agricultural land, a commercial plot of 2487 square meters, and eight residential flats) situated in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, and Panipat. Additionally, movable assets amounting to about Rs 96 Lakh in Fixed Deposit Receipts (FDRs) and various bank accounts were identified.
The ED launched investigations based on FIRs filed by the Gurugram Police against M/s Sai Aaina Farms Pvt. Ltd. and related entities for offenses under multiple sections of the IPC 1860, including cheating and forgery.
Allegations include the submission of forged documents, such as fake bank guarantees, to secure licenses for development projects. This fraudulent scheme was linked to an anticipated affordable housing initiative in Sector 68, 103, and 104, Gurugram, where the firm allegedly collected around Rs 616 crore from 3700 homebuyers.
Unfortunately, the company failed to deliver the promised homes within the stipulated timeframes and misappropriated the funds.
The ED’s investigation uncovered that the firm siphoned off funds by inflating construction costs via fake invoices from affiliated entities. The diverted money was used for personal gain by the company’s directors and promoters.
Moreover, funds from homebuyers were also redirected to other group companies as loans, which remain unpaid for several years.
Previously, on February 24, the ED had attached properties valued at Rs 36.52 crore concerning M/s D S Home Construction Pvt Ltd, Sikandar Singh, Vikas Chhoker, and others implicated in the case, which was confirmed by the Ld. Adjudicating Authority.
Additionally, Sikandar Singh, the Director of M/s D S Home Construction Pvt. Ltd., was apprehended on April 30, 2024. A prosecution complaint has been submitted to the Special Court, Gurugram, which has acknowledged the case.
Ongoing investigations continue to unfold.
