The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said that preliminary investigations into a money laundering case against a real estate development company, Mahira Group controlled by Congress MLA from Haryana, Dharam Singh Chokkar have revealed that the company directors siphoned off about ₹107 crore from another company M/s Sai Aaina Farms Pvt Ltd. The money belonged to the homebuyers of a Gurugram, Sector 68 housing project.
An ED statement said siphoning off was done showing fake expenses to the extent of ₹57 crore and loans to group entities to the extent of about ₹50 crore. Investigations in respect of financial transactions of other four affordable housing projects are in progress, the agency said.
During search operations on July 25, four luxury cars having acquisition value of about ₹4 crore, jewellery worth ₹14.5 lakh, ₹4.5 lakh cash and evidences related to siphoning of homebuyer funds were seized, the central agency said. Freezing orders in respect of offices and bank accounts of Mahira Group were also issued during the search operations.
The ED had on July 25 conducted search operations at 11 locations belonging to M/s Sai Aaina Farms Pvt. Ltd, known now as Mahira Infratech Pvt. Ltd, and other group companies of Mahira Group owned and controlled by the Congress MLA from Samalkha and his family under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The raids were conducted at Samalkha, Gurugram and Delhi.
The ED had initiated PMLA investigations based on first information reports registered by the Gurugram Police against Sai Aaina Farms Pvt Ltd. for alleged cheating and forgery.
“M/s Sai Aaina Farms Pvt Ltd. had collected about ₹360 crore from 1,497 home buyers under the affordable housing scheme on the promise of providing houses at Sector 68, Gurugram. However, they failed to deliver the houses and missed multiple deadlines. The homebuyers have been holding protests dharnas for a year against Mahira Group seeking delivery of the promised houses at the earliest,’’ the ED said.
“Investigations revealed that the said entity siphoned off homebuyers’ money by booking fake construction expenditure in group entities. Cash equivalent to the fake purchases was received back from the entities providing fake bills, invoices by Mahira Group directors, which was used for personal gains. Several personal family expenditures were also booked as construction and business expenditure in group entities. The directors also diverted home buyers’ money to other group entities as loans outstanding for years for personal gains,’’ the ED said.
The agency said that directors and promoters of Mahira Group, Dharam Singh Chhoker, Sikander Singh and Vikas Chhoker and other key employees remained absent during the ED search operations and till date have not joined investigation.
