Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, September 22
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has raided the premises of the Imperial Group in Naldera, Shimla, uncovering undisclosed assets worth ₹80 crore linked to suspected real estate fraud. Officials said the company is accused of selling high-value flats to non-resident Indians (NRIs) and obtaining loans using forged documents.
During the operation, conducted in the presence of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, investigators questioned Maninder Singh, manager of the Auramah Valley project located about 25 km from Shimla. The project, spread across nearly 100 acres, has plans for 1,000 luxury flats.
The ED seized foreign currency, ₹50 lakh in cash, laptops, mobile phones, pen drives, old ₹500 notes, and documents tied to overseas properties held in Manvinder Singh’s name. Officials also collected digital records believed to reveal details of suspected cross-border transactions and illicit property dealings.
Preliminary findings suggest crores of rupees’ worth of flats were sold to NRIs while major loans were secured through fraudulent paperwork. Authorities said the evidence points to possible large-scale scams in Himachal Pradesh’s real estate sector.
The seized material is undergoing forensic examination to establish links to foreign property purchases and illicit money transfers.
