The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned former Punjab Chief Secretary Anurag Verma to appear before the agency on August 31 in connection with its ongoing probe into the alleged scam involving Suntec City and Altus Space Builders Private Limited.
The agency has also re-summoned IAS officer Kanwal Preet Brar to appear at the ED’s zonal office in Jalandhar on August 27. Brar had earlier appeared before the agency on August 18 and has now been directed to bring additional documents related to the case.
Verma, who is currently serving as Punjab’s Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue, will appear before the ED for the first time in the matter. During the period when the alleged irregularities took place, he was heading the Housing and Urban Development Department.
The ED is examining the roles of the officials concerned to determine whether prescribed rules and procedures were followed in granting Change of Land Use (CLU) permissions and in connection with alleged unauthorised modifications to approved layouts.
The agency is also probing whether such alleged deviations were carried out in a manner that benefited private builders.
The summons to Verma and the re-summoning of Brar form part of the ED’s ongoing investigation into the Suntec City matter. The agency is examining relevant official records and documents as it seeks to establish the circumstances surrounding the approvals and alleged irregularities.
The investigation is currently underway, and the appearance of the two IAS officers is expected to provide the agency with further information and documentation relevant to the case.
