Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached movable and immovable assets worth approximately ₹23.35 crore in connection with a major land acquisition compensation scam linked to the Bharatmala Project in Raipur. The Investigation has been carried out under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002 (PMLA), following evidence of large-scale financial irregularities.
Investigation Origin and Legal Proceedings
The case originated from an FIR registered by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW).) and the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Chhattisgarh. The case invoked multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988. A chargesheet has already been filed before a special court in Raipur, naming Harmeet Singh Khanuja and several others as accused. The ED subsequently initiated a parallel money laundering probe based on these findings.
Alleged Conspiracy in Land Acquisition
According to investigators, the scam centres around the acquisition of land for the Raipur–Visakhapatnam National Highway. A coordinated conspiracy involving land brokers, private individuals, and certain government officials allegedly led to manipulation of land records to inflate compensation payouts.
Officials claim that key land-related documents were tampered with, resulting in artificially enhanced compensation amounts, causing substantial losses to the public exchequer.
Manipulation of Records Post-Notification
The ED stated that following a land acquisition notification issued on January 30, 2020, by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, fraudulent alterations were made to land records. Parcels of land were artificially subdivided, and records were backdated to create eligibility for higher compensation.
This systematic manipulation significantly increased payout amounts and formed the core mechanism of the alleged fraud.
Deception of Landowners
The investigation further revealed that the accused, including Khanuja and his associates, allegedly misled landowners into signing affidavits, applications, and other legal documents—often without full disclosure. These documents were later used, with the assistance of complicit officials, to alter official records and secure inflated compensation.
Fund Diversion Through Banking Channels
The ED uncovered that multiple bank accounts were opened in the names of landowners, into which compensation funds were deposited. Using pre-signed cheques and banking documents, large portions of these funds were subsequently transferred to accounts linked to Khanuja, his relatives, and associates.
Authorities noted that the actual landowners received only a fraction of the compensation, while the bulk was siphoned off through fraudulent means.
Scale of the Scam and Ongoing Probe
The agency estimates that approximately ₹27.05 crore was misappropriated in total, of which ₹23.35 crore has so far been traced as proceeds of crime and attached. The Action has been undertaken under Section 5 of the PMLA.
The ED described the current Action as preliminary, indicating that further attachments and arrests may follow as the investigation progresses.
Wider Implications
Officials are continuing to probe the extent of involvement within the government machinery and are examining the roles of additional individuals who may have facilitated the scam. Investigators believe the scale of the fraud could expand as more evidence emerges.
The case has triggered significant concern within administrative circles, with the ED’s action placing multiple individuals under scrutiny and raising questions about systemic vulnerabilities in land acquisition processes.
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