ED makes ‘highest’ attachment at Rs 22,000 crore with fresh action against Chandigarh-based Pearls Group  

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has executed its highest attachment in a single case, worth over Rs 22,000 crore, with fresh freezing of properties in its money laundering investigation against Chandigarh-based PACL (Pearls Group), accused of orchestrating a Rs 48,000 crore ponzi scheme.

These 126 immovable properties are located in Punjab and Delhi.

A provisional order has been issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to attach these properties, the federal agency said in a statement issued on Friday. The value of these assets is Rs 5,046.91 crore.

With this attachment, the agency so far has attached properties worth Rs 22,656.91 crore, including assets located in India and abroad, belonging to PACL and its related entities and persons, it said.

This is the highest attachment in a single case and a major milestone for the ED as part of the anti-money laundering regime, agency officials said.

The ED probe of 2016 stems from a 2014 registered CBI case against PACL Ltd, its promoter Nirmal Singh Bhangoo and other individuals. The CBI FIR came on the directions of the Supreme Court.

Bhangoo died in August 2024.

The accused entities and individuals of PACL operated an "illegal" collective investment scheme, fraudulently mobilising more than Rs 60,000 crore from lakhs of investors across India under the guise of sale and development of agricultural land, according to the ED.

Investors were induced to invest through cash down payment and instalment payment plans and were made to sign "misleading" documents, including agreements, powers of attorney, and other instruments, it said.

"In the majority of cases, no land was ever delivered, and approximately Rs 48,000 crore remains unpaid to investors," the agency stated.

So far, five chargesheets have been filed by the ED as part of the case registered in 2016.