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The Supreme Court on Tuesday transferred a money-laundering case linked to the alleged cheating of homebuyers, involving real-estate tycoon Amit Katyal, from Gurugram to a special PMLA court in Delhi.<\/p>\n
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant passed the order on Katyal\u2019s plea seeking a transfer of the case lodged under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).<\/p>\n
\u201cWe direct the PMLA proceedings pending before the Special Judge, PMLA, Gurugram, Haryana, to be transferred to the Special Judge, PMLA, Saket Court Complex, Delhi. The prosecution shall proceed at such transferee court from the stage at which it is presently pending at Gurugram,\u201d the Bench said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the present case, part of the offence under section 4 of the PMLA had occurred by way of concealment of proceeds of crime attached at Delhi. This gives simultaneous jurisdiction to the PMLA courts at Delhi and Gurugram to try such an offence.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUncontroverted allegations in the prosecution complaint clearly disclose that the homebuyers were duped and the proceeds of crime were acquired at Gurugram, where the project was situated. Vast tracts of land at Gurugram constituting proceeds of crime have been attached. Given this situation, the institution of PMLA prosecution at Gurugram cannot be faulted,\u201d the Bench said.<\/p>\n
Katyal, a real-estate tycoon considered close to RJD chief Lalu Prasad\u2019s family, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on November 19 last year in the money-laundering case linked to the alleged cheating of homebuyers in Gurugram.<\/p>\n
He was arrested by the ED in 2023 as well in a separate money-laundering case related to the railways\u2019 land-for-jobs scam involving Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and other family members. Katyal was granted bail in the case.<\/p>\n
The latest investigation pertains to the allegations of non-delivery of flats in Krrish Florence Estate, built over 14 acres in Gurugram\u2019s Sector 70. The project was being developed by Katyal\u2019s company \u2014 Angle Infrastructure Private Limited.<\/p>\n
According to the ED, Katyal obtained a licence from another developer in a \u201cfraudulent\u201d manner and started collecting funds from prospective buyers much before the grant of licence from the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) in Haryana, leading to the generation of \u201cproceeds of crime\u201d worth Rs 300 crore.<\/p>\n
The ED\u2019s probe found several \u201cfraudulent\u201d bookings made by Katyal to third parties in a project meant for central government employees and \u201cdiversion\u201d of funds for other purposes, leading to the stalling of the project.<\/p>\n
The agency has accused Katyal of \u201calienating\u201d a part of the licensed land of two acres valued at Rs 130 crore at under-valued rates to third parties during the insolvency proceedings, calling it a \u201cclear abuse of the process of law under the IBC (Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code)\u201d.<\/p>\n
With PTI inputs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n