HC seeks ED affidavit on panel for Gurugram homebuyers' property restoration

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file an affidavit on forming a committee—possibly chaired by a former High Court judge—to assess claims from over 2,000 homebuyers for restoring their provisionally attached Gurugram properties under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Neerja Kulwant Kalson issued the order on a petition by a homebuyer in a project proposed to commence in Sector 37-D, 92 and 95 of Gurugram at Basai, Gadoli Kalan, Hayatpur and Wazipur villages. Counsels Viraj Gandhi, Harit Narang, and Adarsh Dubey argued the properties were attached on July 11, 2025 in PMLA proceedings against M/s Ramprastha Promoters and Developers Private Limited, with confirmation by the Adjudicating Authority on December 19, 2025.

They invoked PMLA Section 8(8) provisos, empowering Special Courts to consider restoration claims during trial. The counsel added that the Central Government had already framed the Prevention of Money Laundering (Restoration of Confiscated Property) Rules, 2016 to operationalise this remedy.

The notice of motion issued by the Bench for February 10 was accepted by ED senior panel counsel Lokesh Narang. “It is submitted by ED counsel that since the homebuyers are large in number, more than about 2000, it would be appropriate to constitute a restoration committee under the Chairmanship of a former Judge of this Court or any other High Court as the case may be,” the Bench observed.

The Bench directed the Enforcement Directorate to file an affidavit in the matter “that this Court may go ahead by enlarging scope of this petition as suggested by counsel for ED”. The case will now come up for further hearing on February 10.