Punjab: ED raids yield Rs 3.89 crore in guava orchard scam case : The Tribune India

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Punjab: ED raids yield Rs 3.89 crore in guava orchard scam case

ED officials during a raid on the residence of IAS officer Varun Roojam in Sector 20, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. File

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 28

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) here has seized Rs 3.89 crore during raids held on Wednesday in connection with guava orchard compensation scam.

The raids were held at 26 residential and business premises in various cities, including Ferozepur, Mohali, Bathinda, Barnala, Patiala and Chandigarh, under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The suspects in the case include two IAS officers Varun Roojam and Rajesh Dhiman, Dhiman’s wife Jasmine Kaur, officials of Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA), Revenue and Horticulture Departments, realtor Bhupinder Singh and other persons.

During the search, the ED sleuths also seized various incriminating evidences, property documents and mobile phones. The ED had initiated investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by the Vigilance Bureau, Mohali, under various sections of the IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act. The ED investigation has revealed that in 2016, GMADA had started the process of acquiring land of various villages for setting up Aerotropolis residential project near the IT city and Aerocity in Mohali.

“Private persons close to officers of GMADA, Revenue and Horticulture Departments were aware of the fact that compensation for fruit-bearing guava trees would be assessed separately from the value of the land acquired and additional compensation would be granted as per the quality, age and various other parameters related to the guava trees.

Accordingly, persons involved in the scam (beneficiaries, officers of GMADA, Revenue and Horticulture Departments) colluded among themselves and created false/forged records and reports regarding existence/age/quality/density of guava trees to avail of wrongful compensation,” the note read with an addition that the total proceed of the crime identified so far was approximately Rs 140 crore.

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