Panjab & ED Lock Horns Over Registration of FIR in Cash, Land Cases

September

2026

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has accused the Panjab Police of stalling action and not registering First Information Report (FIR) again in an alleged ‘cash-for-transfer and land fraud case’, despite ‘detailed evidence having been shared’ in a 200-page reply submitted to the Punjab and Haryana High Court (PHHC). ED was responding to a petition filed by advocate Nikhil Saraf on 27 Aug. In a third letter, written to Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on 31 Aug, the ED has sought that the FIR be registered against the said persons under Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. Responding to the charges, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state president, Aman Arora, who was named by the ED in this case along with Officer on Special Duty to the Panjab Chief Minister, Rajbir Singh Ghuman, said the ED has failed to provide substantial evidence against him and other AAP leaders. He added that the FIR can only be registered when proper evidence is shared with the police. The ED declined the request by Panjab Police for additional information. Arora said the ED had targeted his friend Gaurav Dhir, in an apparent attempt to frame him. He said, ‘They (ED) have made allegations that as Housing Minister, I got the Change of Land Use (CLU) and layout plans changed for Dhir’s Altus project. However, six CLUs were given to Altus between 2011–2022—all during the tenures of either the Akali Dal-BJP (Shiromani Akali Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party) or the Congress (Indian National Congress) governments. Even the project’s layout plans were changed twice when the Akali-BJP and later the Congress were in power, and thrice during the AAP government’s tenure. These changes are legally allowed.’ He added that the case was based on two FIRs, which the court had already quashed. Arora maintained that the case was nothing more than a political vilification campaign launched by the BJP-led union government to create chaos and intimidate political leadership. Additionally, Saraf in an application to the PPHC claimed that he is being hounded by the Panjab government for filing the petition and that he fears his farmhouse in Majri area of Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar will be demolished as a notice has been put up on the property. However, in an urgent hearing late evening on 4 Sep at PHHC, the Panjab government undertook not to go ahead with the demolition (earlier coverage).