Jalandhar: The Enforcement Directorate has widened its money laundering investigation in Punjab by summoning senior government officials for extensive questioning over alleged financial irregularities linked to high-value transactions and real estate dealings.
GMADA Chief Administrator Sandeep Kumar appeared before the agency’s Jalandhar office after being directed to submit official records connected to the ongoing probe.
His staff reportedly arrived earlier in the day carrying multiple files and documents sought by investigators.
Sources said Kumar was questioned for several hours as ED officials examined documents related to major real estate developments in New Chandigarh.
Investigators are understood to be scrutinising project approvals, land-related transactions and possible financial linkages involving influential individuals and private builders.
Officials familiar with the matter said the ED suspects a larger nexus may have operated through coordinated decisions that allegedly benefited select parties.
During the interrogation, Kumar is learnt to have maintained that all procedures were carried out strictly within legal and administrative guidelines.
However, sources indicate the agency confronted him with material gathered during searches and document analysis, pointing to inconsistencies that have further deepened suspicion.
Separately, Harsharan Kaur Trehan, Director (Commercial) at Punjab State Power Corporation Limited, was also questioned for nearly seven hours.
Her examination is reportedly linked to scrutiny surrounding a bank guarantee worth Rs 1.96 crore issued to a company allegedly connected to a minister currently under ED custody.
Trehan is said to have handed over all relevant official records to investigators and provided details relating to her personal financial background, including banking information sought by the agency.
Sources said the ED is carefully analysing whether due process was followed in the approval and issuance of the financial guarantee.
Meanwhile, officials said the documents submitted by GMADA were found to be incomplete, prompting further queries from investigators.
The agency is expected to summon additional records and may call more officials for clarification as it pieces together the financial trail.
The latest round of questioning signals a significant expansion of the investigation, which now appears to be focusing not only on private entities but also on possible administrative lapses or collusion at senior levels.
No formal charges have been announced so far, but ED officials are continuing to examine whether public office was misused to facilitate unlawful financial gains.
