Diamonds and gemstones worth Rs 42 crore, 85 lakh in cash…ED was also surprised by the black money found in the former IAS’ hideout!

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has recovered cash, jewellery and Benami properties from the residences of retired IAS officer Mohinder Singh and director of Hacienda Project Private Limited (HPPL) after two days of raids. ED has recovered diamond and gold jewellery worth over Rs 42.56 crore, Rs 85 lakh in cash and many documents of Benami properties. The raids were conducted at 18 locations including Chandigarh, Noida, Meerut, Delhi and Goa.

Mohinder Singh, a 1978 batch IAS officer, is currently the CEO of Noida Development Authority. He is considered one of the most powerful bureaucrats in the BSP government between 2007 and 2012. He is accused of abusing his power to allot valuable land at nominal prices to people close to him.

ED raided the residences of Mohinder Singh and HPPL directors Surpreet Singh Suri, Vidur Bhardwaj, Nirmal Singh, Aditya Gupta and Ashish Gupta. During the raid, diamond and gold jewellery worth Rs 29.35 crore, a diamond worth Rs 526 crore and other diamond jewellery worth Rs 701 crore were seized. Overall, ED seized jewellery and cash worth Rs 42.56 crore.

Also read: ED raids in money laundering case related to estate project, seizes diamonds and cash worth crores

Investigations revealed that the directors of HPPL misappropriated Rs 190 crore raised by investors by diverting the funds to other companies. Apart from this, a large part of the land allotted in Noida Sector 107 was sold to other builders. The total amount of the entire scam is estimated to be around Rs 236 crore.

Mohinder Singh, while serving as the CEO of Noida Authority in 2010-11, allotted valuable land for a residential project in Sector 107. He allegedly ignored rules and allotted the land in the names of close associates like Nirmal Singh, Surpreet Singh Suri and Vidur Bhardwaj. HPPL had raised Rs 426 crore from investors for the project named Lotus 300, but the funds were diverted into shell companies.

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police started investigating the matter after multiple FIRs were filed in Delhi and Noida over investors not handing over the flats on time. Later, the Allahabad High Court ordered an investigation into the scam and the ED took over the investigation.

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ED is currently investigating other companies related to HPPL as well. The raids also seized documents of farmhouses, shopping malls and apartments in Delhi, Noida and Chandigarh owned by Mohinder Singh and other directors. Apart from this, six bank lockers have also been sealed and will be opened soon.

Former IAS also under investigation for memorial scam

Mohinder Singh, who retired on July 31, 2012, could also be investigated in connection with the memorial scam that took place during the BSP regime. Mohinder Singh was the head of the housing development department when the memorial scam took place. The vigilance cell of the Uttar Pradesh police had issued a questioning notice to him about two years ago, but he refused to appear as he was in Australia. Now the vigilance department is preparing to issue him another questioning notice. So far, the ED has found evidence of large-scale fund diversion and a probe into the matter is ongoing.