ED Raids Haryana Congress MLA Dharam Singh Chhoker; Seizes Luxury Cars Worth Rs 4 Crore, Jewellery

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said it raided the premises of Haryana Congress MLA Dharam Singh Chhoker and companies 'owned and controlled' by him in a money laundering case linked to alleged cheating of homebuyers. During the search operations at 11 locations spread over Samalkha, Gurugram, and Delhi on July 25, the ED seized four luxury cars, jewellery worth Rs 14.5 lakh, and Rs 4.5 lakh in cash.

Dharam Singh Chhoker, who is an MLA from Samalkha in the Panipat district, is said to be the 'owner and promoter' of the Mahira real estate group along with his sons Sikander Singh and Vikas Chhoker.

"ED initiated investigations based on FIRs registered by Gurugram Police against M/s Sai Aaina Farms Pvt. Ltd. for cheating and forgery. M/s Sai Aaina Farms Pvt. Ltd. had collected about Rs 360 Crore from 1497 home buyers under the affordable housing scheme, on the promise of providing houses at Sector 68, Gurugram. However, the said entity failed to deliver the houses and missed multiple deadlines," the law enforcement agency said in an official statement.

It added that the home buyers have been holding protests for one year against the Mahira Group seeking delivery of the promised houses at the earliest. 

ED investigations revealed that said entity siphoned off home buyers' money by booking fake construction expenditures in group entities. Cash equivalent to the fake purchases were received back from the entities providing fake bills and invoices by the Directors and Promoters of Mahira Group, which was used for 'personal gains', the statement read.

Several personal family expenditures were also booked as construction and business expenditure in group entities. 

"The Directors and Promoters also diverted home buyers' money to other group entities as loans -- which is outstanding for years -- for personal gains. Preliminary investigations show that the Directors/ Promoters of Mahira Group siphoned off about Rs 107.5 Crore [fake expenses to the extent of Rs 57 Crore and loans to group entities to the extent of Rs. 50.50 Crore] from M/s Sai Aaina Farms Pvt. Ltd. [belonging to home buyers of Sector 68 housing project] alone," the ED said.

Investigations with respect to the financial transactions of other four affordable housing projects are in progress.

During the raids, four luxury cars having acquisition value of around Rs 4 Crore, jewellery worth Rs 14.5 lakh, and cash of Rs. 4.5 lakh and evidence related to siphoning of home buyer funds were seized.

Further investigation is under progress.