Chandigarh: Former Punjab chief secretary Anurag Verma appeared before Enforcement Directorate (ED) at its Jalandhar office on Wednesday in connection with its money-laundering investigation into alleged irregularities in Suntec City project in Mohali.Verma reached the ED office around 11 am carrying documents and was understood to have been questioned by the agency in connection with administrative decisions and approvals relating to the project, including change-of-land-use (CLU) permissions and layout modifications.Verma, who earlier served as chief secretary-cum-administrative secretary, housing and urban development, is posted as additional chief secretary-cum-financial commissioner (revenue).ED had first asked him to appear before it on Aug 31. He sought additional time, following which the agency issued a fresh summon for Sept 7. Verma’s appearance was subsequently fixed for Sept 9.Earlier, another IAS officer Kanwar Preet Brar appeared before ED twice, on Aug 18 and 27, in connection with the ongoing probe.The agency’s probe is linked to an FIR registered at Mullanpur police station on Nov 19, 2022, after farmers and landowners alleged in a complaint that forged consent documents had been used to secure CLU permissions for Suntec City. The matter had also figured before the Punjab and Haryana high court in a civil writ petition.The investigation has since expanded, with ED examining alleged irregularities in CLU approvals, changes to sanctioned layouts and the purported use of fabricated consent letters from landowners.ED had sent communications to Mohali SSP on Aug 27, 29 and 31, seeking details of the police investigation under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).ED is also understood to have separately shared the findings of its investigation with Mohali police through a series of letters and emails sent on July 1 and 21, and Aug 14, 24 and 25, flagging material that it felt warranted action in connection with alleged fresh offences. ED, sources say, neither received a response from Mohali police regarding the police investigation nor any communication on registration of the fresh offences flagged by the agency.ED has summoned Mohali SSP to appear before it on Sept 10 (Thursday) and provide details of the police investigation as well as action taken on the alleged offences highlighted by the central agency.
