MOHALI, MAY 7 — The Enforcement Directorate carried out a series of high-profile raids across Chandigarh, Mohali, and Patiala on Thursday, targeting a network of builders and political associates allegedly involved in a multi-crore land license scam. The operation gained significant attention in Kharar when two bags stuffed with currency were hurled from a ninth-floor window at Western Towers as ED teams arrived to execute a search warrant.
The investigation focuses on Nitin Gohal, a reported associate of an official linked to a senior government functionary. Gohal is accused of manipulating GMADA processes to secure CLU licenses for developers who had defaulted on their mandatory state fees. Sources within the agency affirmed that the probe involves allegations of large-scale public cheating and the accumulation of illicit funds totaling hundreds of crores.
According to agency sources, the raids included the offices and residential premises of Suntec City, Altus Builders, and Dhir Constructions. In Chandigarh’s Sector 16, a separate ED team conducted a detailed search, while another unit in Mohali focused on the residence of Bir Devinder Singh. The operation is part of a wider crackdown on individuals allegedly associated with the Aam Aadmi Party, though officials have not yet released a formal statement regarding specific arrests or the total volume of cash recovered.
“Nitin Gohal was being searched by ED as he allegedly helped builders who have defaulted in payment of GMADA fees,” an agency official affirmed. The source further noted that Gohal reportedly acted as a bridge to provide political cover for these developers.
The scene at the Western Towers remained tense for much of the day as officials meticulously gathered the scattered currency bundles from the ground floor. The flat from which the money was thrown remained a focal point of the investigation, with agents spending several hours inside the residence. While the total amount of seized cash is still being verified, the agency declared that the evidence collected during the 12-location sweep points toward a deeply entrenched system of administrative and political corruption.
