Gurugram, February 19 – In a fresh development in the real estate fraud linked to the 'Ansal Hub-83' project in Gurugram's Sector-83, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached immovable properties worth Rs 82 crore belonging to the promoters and senior officials of Ansal Housing Limited, an official said on Thursday.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Gurugram Zonal Office, has provisionally attached the immovable properties under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The attachment proceedings were initiated against the promoters of the commercial project, which spans a land area of 19 Kanal 15 Marla (approximately 2.47 acres) and comprises 147 commercial shops, 137 office spaces, and two restaurant units.
The investigation was initiated based on an FIR registered by the Haryana Police under sections 120-B, 406, and 420 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, which deal with offences of cheating, conspiracy, and breach of trust.
The police registered the FIR in June 2023 against the promoters and senior officials of Ansal Housing Limited (formerly known as Ansal Housing and Construction Ltd), including its whole-time director Kushagra Ansal, the ED said.
The FIR also named the company's associated entities, namely Samyak Projects Private Limited and Aakansha Infrastructure Private Limited, based on a complaint filed by the HUB-83 Allottee Welfare Association, representing over 1,000 investors who had invested their hard-earned money in the project based on false assurances and misleading representations, the ED said.
The ED investigation revealed that the project was launched and commercial units were sold to investors even before obtaining valid statutory approvals, and that although the project licence expired in December 2015, the developers continued to collect money from investors and sell units until September 2023 without renewing the licence.
It was also revealed that several aggrieved investors had approached the Haryana Real Estate Regulatory Authority (HRERA) by filing complaints regarding delays in possession, non-completion of the project, illegal collection of money, and violation of statutory obligations by the developer, the ED said.
Investors were promised timely possession and world-class facilities; however, even after nearly 15 years, no occupancy certificate has been issued and possession has not been handed over, the ED said.
The funds collected were not used for completing the project but were instead diverted for other purposes and personal gain, the ED said.
The ED investigation revealed that an amount of more than Rs 82 crore was collected from allottees from 2011-2023. The project land, along with the construction done so far, has been provisionally attached to prevent any transfer, sale, or disposal of the assets, which could hinder future confiscation proceedings under the PMLA, the ED said.