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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday said it has attached six immovable properties valued at Rs. 10.55 crore belonging to certain directors and shareholders of Gurugram-based real estate firm Ansal Properties and Infrastructure Ltd (APIL). The action comes under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with alleged violations of environmental protection laws.
According to the agency, the attached assets include commercial units located in Gurugram (Haryana), Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh), and Ludhiana (Punjab). The properties are held by APIL promoters and beneficiaries including Sushil Ansal, Pranav Ansal, and Kusum Ansal.
The case stems from alleged breaches of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act related to two residential projects in Gurugram. The Haryana Police initially registered an FIR and later filed a chargesheet in the matter, the ED noted.
Investigations revealed that the company failed to install a sewage treatment plant (STP) in its ‘Sushant Lok Phase-I’ project, instead discharging untreated effluents into Haryana Urban Development Authority’s (HUDA) sewerage lines. In another project, ‘Esencia’, the installed STP was allegedly of insufficient capacity.
During inspections by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), the STPs were found to be abandoned, with no operation or maintenance in place. The ED said the promoters neglected to meet pollution control norms, thereby damaging public health and the environment while profiting from the lapse.
The agency alleged that APIL’s promoters “unduly benefited” to the tune of ?10.55 crore, which it described as proceeds of crime generated through sustained non-compliance.
APIL or its promoters were not immediately available for comment on the ED’s action.
