Chandigarh, May 7 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday carried out raids at a flat near Kharar in Punjab’s Mohali district where two bags allegedly containing cash were reportedly thrown from a ninth floor of the house during the operation, officials said.
The ED officials added that the raid was carried out in the flat of an IT professional, Nitin Gohal, in Western Towers and during the search operation two bags allegedly containing cash bundles were thrown within the building premises.
He is considered close to an aide of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
Morning walkers reportedly found currency notes scattered around the complex and notified the authorities.
ED officials later confiscated the bags and continued with the search operation.
They said 12 locations in Mohali and Chandigarh were raided, including premises of builders and housing projects as well as that of Gohal.
Gohal was allegedly involved in fraud in obtaining change in land use (CLU) licences from Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) and cheating the public.
According to ED sources, raids were also conducted at premises of Suntec City builder, owned by Ajay Sehgal, as well as ABS Townships Private Limited, Altus Builders, and Dhir Constructions.
Apart from Kharar, the ED also conducted searches at locations in Chandigarh’s Sector-16 and Patiala as part of the operation.
Raids also took place at Bir Devinder Singh’s premises in Mohali, also considered close to an Aam Aadmi Party functionary.
A spokesperson for the Punjab government told the media that the ED raided the home of an IT employee in.
Seeing the team approaching, someone threw a bag full of cash from the ninth floor of the residential tower, which a driver already standing below picked up.
However, the team noticed the incident and chased and apprehended the fleeing driver with the bag, recovering nearly Rs 2.1 million in cash.
“The matter is under investigation. Officials have refrained from commenting,” the spokesperson said.
However, the spokesperson denied any association of the accused with the Chief Minister’s office.
“It is incorrect to describe him as anyone’s aide,” the spokesperson added.
–IANS
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