Chandigarh: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has deferred the appearance of former Punjab Chief Secretary Anurag Verma by two days, with the IAS officer now expected to appear before the agency on September 9 in connection with its probe into alleged irregularities in real-estate projects in Mohali.
The revised date was communicated to Verma through email, according to reports. He had initially been summoned to appear before the agency on August 31 but sought additional time to compile the documents sought by investigators.
Verma, a 1993-batch IAS officer of the Punjab-cadre, is currently serving as Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue). During the period under scrutiny, he was associated with the Housing and Urban Development Department, and the ED is examining administrative decisions relating to land-use permissions and changes to approved layouts.
Probe Centres on Suntec City, Altus Space Projects
The ED investigation concerns alleged irregularities involving the Suntec City and Altus Space Builders Private Limited projects in Mohali.
Read Also: ED Re-Summons Former Punjab Chief Secretary Anurag Verma in Mohali Land-Use Probe
The agency is examining the administrative trail surrounding:
- Change of Land Use (CLU) permissions
- Modifications to approved project layouts
- Development and regulatory approvals
- Decisions taken by officials during the relevant period
- Whether any procedural relaxations allegedly benefited private developers
The probe forms part of a wider money-laundering investigation into alleged irregularities in real-estate projects.
Another IAS Officer Already Questioned
Before Verma, Punjab-cadre IAS officer Kanwal Preet Brar appeared before the ED on August 18 and August 27 in connection with the case.
She was questioned about CLU permissions and changes to approved layouts and was asked to provide additional records to the agency.
Both officials have maintained that they did not permit violations or favour any private developer in the projects under investigation.
ED’s Wider Investigation
The ED’s scrutiny extends to decisions concerning the Suntec City project as well as other developments, including the Muirwood Ecocity project in New Chandigarh.
The agency has been examining official files and the sequence of decisions related to land-use conversion, layout changes and regulatory action to determine whether rules were violated or private entities received undue benefits.
Verma’s appearance on September 9 is expected to give investigators an opportunity to question him about the records and administrative decisions under examination.
Read Also: Punjab ED Summons IAS Anurag Verma on Aug 31 in ₹348-Crore CLU Probe; Kanwal Preet Brar Re-Summoned
