ED attaches ₹34.07 lakh flat, farmland in Delhi-Aligarh drug money laundering case
Synopsis
The Enforcement Directorate has attached a Delhi flat and Uttar Pradesh farmland worth ₹34.07 lakh from an alleged drug trafficker and her brother, pushing total property seizures in this narcotics money laundering case to ₹2.61 crore. The case illustrates how cash from the heroin trade was allegedly routed through family accounts and fictitious transactions before being parked in real estate.
Key Takeaways
The ED provisionally attached properties worth ₹34.07 lakh on 12 October 2026 under the PMLA, 2002 .
A flat in Rohini, Delhi (valued at ₹9,07,200 ) and farmland in Aligarh, UP (valued at ₹25,00,000 ) were seized from alleged drug trafficker Kusum and her brother Hariom Raghav .
The probe was initiated on the basis of Delhi Police FIRs under the NDPS Act, 1985 for alleged possession, supply and sale of heroin .
Drug money was allegedly laundered through family members, bank accounts and a proprietorship concern before being invested in real estate.
Earlier, 12 properties worth ₹2.26 crore were attached on 28 March 2026 ; total attachments in the case now stand at ₹2.61 crore .
A chargesheet was filed against Kusum before the Special Court (PMLA), Rohini, Delhi on 30 March 2026 .
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday, 12 October 2026, provisionally attached two immovable properties — a residential flat in Rohini, Delhi, and agricultural land in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh — valued at a combined ₹34.07 lakh, in a money laundering case linked to alleged drug trafficker Kusum and her brother Hariom Raghav. The attachment was executed under Section 5(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, by the ED's Delhi Zonal Office-II.
Properties Identified and Attached
The two assets identified and attached are: Flat No. 148, Ground Floor, DDA Janta Flats, Type-B, Pocket-3, Sector-2, Rohini, Delhi, valued at ₹9,07,200, held in the name of Kusum; and agricultural land measuring 0.2535 hectares at Godha, Pargana Morthal, Tehsil Koil, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, valued at ₹25,00,000, held by Hariom Raghav, Kusum's brother. The agency identified these properties as having been acquired from the proceeds of narcotics trafficking.
How the Money Was Laundered
According to the ED, the investigation revealed that cash generated from the alleged narcotics trade — involving possession, supply and sale of heroin (commonly known as smack) — was systematically routed through family members and bank accounts, including accounts linked to a proprietorship concern. Cash was also exchanged for bank transfers from third parties in the absence of any genuine underlying business transactions. The funds were subsequently used to purchase immovable properties in the names of Kusum and her family, thereby concealing their illicit origin and projecting them as legitimate assets, the ED stated.
Basis of the ED Investigation
The money laundering probe was initiated on the basis of First Information Reports (FIRs) registered by the Delhi Police under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, against Kusum and her associates. The ED's investigation then traced the financial trail from the alleged drug trade into real estate assets across two states.
Previous Attachments and Chargesheet
This is not the first action against the accused in this case. Earlier, the ED had attached 12 immovable properties valued at ₹2.26 crore through Provisional Attachment Order No. 09/2026 dated 28 March 2026. The agency also filed a chargesheet against Kusum before the Special Court (PMLA), Rohini, Delhi, on 30 March 2026. With the latest attachment, the total value of properties seized in this case now stands at ₹2.61 crore, according to the ED's statement. The investigation is ongoing, and further action against the accused and their associates remains possible as the case proceeds before the special PMLA court.
Point of View
But the case is a textbook illustration of how street-level narcotics money enters the formal economy — through family proxies, shell proprietorships and property purchases. The ED's pattern of filing a chargesheet and then continuing fresh attachments suggests the financial trail is still being mapped. What the case underscores is the structural vulnerability of small-value real estate transactions to money laundering: the Rohini flat was valued at under ₹10 lakh, well below thresholds that typically draw scrutiny. That gap in the compliance architecture deserves as much attention as the prosecution itself.
NationPress
13 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What properties did the ED attach in this drug money laundering case?
The ED attached a residential flat in Rohini, Delhi, valued at ₹9,07,200, belonging to alleged drug trafficker Kusum, and agricultural land in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, valued at ₹25,00,000, belonging to her brother Hariom Raghav. Both were identified as assets acquired from proceeds of narcotics trafficking.
What is the total value of properties seized in this case so far?
The total value of properties attached in the case now stands at ₹2.61 crore. This includes 12 properties worth ₹2.26 crore attached on 28 March 2026 and the latest two properties worth ₹34.07 lakh attached on 12 October 2026.
Under which law were the properties attached?
The properties were provisionally attached under Section 5(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The ED's investigation was triggered by FIRs filed by Delhi Police under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
How was the drug money allegedly laundered?
According to the ED, cash from the alleged heroin trade was routed through family members and bank accounts, including a proprietorship firm. Cash was also exchanged for bank transfers from third parties without genuine business backing, and the proceeds were used to buy immovable properties to conceal their illicit origin.
Has a chargesheet been filed in the case?
Yes. The ED filed a chargesheet against Kusum before the Special Court (PMLA), Rohini, Delhi, on 30 March 2026. The investigation remains ongoing, with further action possible as the case proceeds.
