ED searches premises linked to Samalkha Congress MLA
Panipat, July 25
The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday raided multiple premises linked to Congress MLA Dharam Singh Chhoker and his family, official sources said. Chhoker is the legislator from the Samalkha Assembly seat in Panipat district of the state.
It is the second ED raid on the premises of Chhokar. A joint team of the ED and Income Tax (IT) Department had conducted a raid on his offices, residence premises and other business institutions on March 17, 2021.
The ED team reached the petrol pump at Sai Enclave, Samalkha, and his residence in Gurugram around 6 am. CRPF personnel were on duty during the raid. The search operation was on till the filing of this report.
Chhokar has been in controversy regarding a real estate company Mahira Homes at Gurugram. Chhokar’s son is director of Mahira Homes.
The Gurugram police have registered a case against the directors, associate companies and authorised signatory of the Mahira Homes Private Limited for allegedly submitting forged and fabricated plans regarding the licence obtained in 2022 and additional licence in 2023 on the complaint of the DTP (Enforcement) recently.
The Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) has also cancelled the licence of Mahira Homes.
Meanwhile, some supporters of the Congress MLA gathered outside his residence after getting information about the raid. They raised slogans in support of their leader and alleged that the BJP was misusing the ED.
Chhokar was elected MLA for the first time in 2009 on the Haryana Janhit Congress ticket, but later joined the Congress. He lost the elections in 2014 and was elected MLA on the Congress ticket from Samalkha in 2019. He was considered to be a close aide of former Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda.
