In accordance with the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Jalandhar conducted search operations on March 27, 2024, at 26 residential and business locations connected to Bhupinder Singh and other private individuals, along with two Senior IAS officers, officers of revenue & horticulture department, in various districts across the state of Punjab, viz. Ferozepur, Mohali (SAS Nagar), Bathinda, Barnala & Patiala, and Chandigarh. The searches were conducted in relation to the Guava Orchard Compensation scam. Numerous damning pieces of evidence, property records, cell phones, and cash totalling Rs. 3.89 crore were found and confiscated during the search.
Based on a formal complaint filed by the Vigilance Bureau in Mohali, Punjab, under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and other sections of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, against Bhupinder Singh, Jasmine Kaur, and other individuals, the ED began an investigation.
According to an ED investigation, the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) in Punjab began purchasing property in many SAS Nagar villages in 2016 with the goal of “Setting up Aerotropolis Residential Project Near IT city and Aerocity in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar.” The fact that compensation for fruit-bearing trees (Guava trees) would be assessed separately from the value of land acquired and that additional compensation was to be granted based on the quality, age, and various other parameters related to Guava trees planted was known to private individuals close to officers of the GMADA, Revenue department, and Horticulture department.
In order to get unjust compensation, those participating in the scam—beneficiaries, GMADA officers, Revenue, and Horticulture department officials—colluded and produced fraudulent or fabricated documents and reports indicating the existence, age, quality, and density of guava plants. The total estimated Proceed of Crime (PoC) to date is Rs. 140 crore. Additional research is currently being conducted.
