Realtor in ED custody in Rs 172 cr money laundering case

Mohali: A special court has remanded realtor Ajay Sehgal in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for three days in connection with an alleged money laundering case linked to the Suntech City project.The court accepted the ED’s plea for further custodial interrogation, observing that new facts had emerged during the investigation which required detailed questioning of the accused. Sehgal will remain in ED custody from June 27 to June 29.According to the ED, the money laundering probe stems from an FIR registered at Mullanpur police station on Sept 17, 2024, under sections related to cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy.

The agency alleged that Sehgal and others developed the Suntech City project in the villages of Rahman and Palheri in New Chandigarh, generating proceeds of crime amounting to approximately Rs 172.3 crore.The ED informed the court that the project was projected over 108.5 acres, whereas developers allegedly owned only 43 acres. It further alleged that forged signatures and thumb impressions of farmers were used to obtain change of land use (CLU) permissions for the remaining land.

Sehgal had earlier been arrested on May 22, 2026, and interrogated during a five-day custody period. However, statements recorded from co-accused and witnesses have since revealed fresh facts and significant leads. The agency argued that further custody was required to conduct confrontational questioning, trace the alleged money trail and ascertain the roles of other individuals involved.Opposing the plea, the defence counsel argued that Sehgal had committed no offence and that further custodial interrogation was unnecessary.

The defence contended that the names of farmers alleging forgery do not appear in the CLU documents and that all relevant records are already with the investigating agency.After hearing both sides, the court held that further interrogation was necessary in light of new developments. It observed that the ED’s request was justified to uncover details related to the alleged proceeds of crime, their purported diversion and the sequence of events connected with the case.