ED Questions Punjab IAS Officer Anurag Verma in Realty Money Laundering Case

ED probes alleged land-use clearance irregularities and forged farmer consent linked to real estate projects.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has recorded the statement of Punjab Additional Chief Secretary and former Chief Secretary Anurag Verma in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in change of land use (CLU) approvals for real estate projects. Verma, a 1993-batch IAS officer who earlier headed the Punjab Housing and Urban Development Department, appeared before the agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and submitted relevant documents. Officials said the ED is seeking information on layout modifications in projects including Suntec City and Altus Space Builder Pvt Ltd. The investigation began with an FIR registered by Punjab Police after farmers complained that their consent was forged to secure CLU approvals. The ED conducted searches in May and June as part of the probe and arrested real estate businessman Ajay Sehgal, secretary of the Indian Cooperative House Building Society (ICHBS). The investigation remains ongoing as the agency examines the alleged irregularities and financial transactions.