ED attaches assets of Vatika, Unitech in homebuyers 'fraud' case against Ramprastha Group

New Delhi, Dec 19 (PTI) Assets worth Rs 80 crore of real estate companies such as Vatika and Unitech Groups have been attached by the Enforcement Directorate as part of a money-laundering investigation against the Gurugram-based Ramprastha group for an alleged fraud with homebuyers.

A provisional order was issued by the federal probe agency on Wednesday to attach these properties under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The probe is related to Ramprastha Promoters and Developers Pvt Ltd (RPDPL) and its associated entities. The total value of the attached assets is Rs 80.03 crore, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said in a statement.

"The attached assets include movable and immovable properties of Vatika Group, Unitech Group and other entities to whom the funds collected from home buyers were diverted instead of utilising the same for projects by RPDPL," it said.

All three companies could not be contacted for comments immediately.

The agency had earlier attached, frozen and seized properties worth Rs 786 crore as part of this investigation.

"With the latest attachment, the total value of assets attached and seized in the case now stands at Rs 866 crore," it said.

The money-laundering case stems from multiple FIRs filed by the Economic Offences Wings of the Delhi and Haryana Police. These followed several homebuyers' complaints against the RPDPL and its promoters, including Arvind Walia, Balwant Chaudhary and Sandeep Yadav, for their "failure" to deliver promised flats and plots within the promised timeframes, the ED earlier said.

The probe found, as per the agency, that various projects of RPDP -- such as the Project Edge, Project Skyz, Project Rise and the Ramprastha City (in various sectors of Gurugram) -- were launched in 2008-2011, and possession of flats or plotted lands is yet to be given.

The company collected about Rs 1,100 crore from more than 2,000 homebuyers for the said projects, but the promoters and directors of the company "diverted" these funds to its group companies as advances for the purchase of land parcels, etc., instead of using them for completion of promised homes, it said.

Wali and Yadav, directors and majority shareholders of the RPDPL, were arrested by the agency in July, and they are currently lodged in jail under judicial custody. PTI NES PRK PRK