Builder’s wife declared PO in Manesar land scam case

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 13

A special court in Panchkula declared Sona Bansal, wife of builder Atul Bansal, a proclaimed offender (PO) in the Manesar land scam case as she did not join the judicial proceedings. Sona had shares in her husband's companies.

On the run since 2018

• Sona Bansal, wife of builder Atul Bansal, had shares in her husband's companies. The special court in Panchkula had earlier declared Atul a PO
• The Bansals, who earned the maximum profit in the scam, have been absconding since 2018 when the judicial proceedings in the case began

The order was pronounced during a resumed hearing on November 12.

The court had earlier declared Atul a PO.

The Bansals, who earned the maximum profit in the scam, have been absconding since 2018, when the judicial proceedings in the case began.

The scam pertains to purchasing land from farmers at meagre rates and then earning profits by getting it released from the acquisition process in connivance with bureaucracy and politicians.

A notification under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, with respect to 912 acres at Manesar, Lakhnaula and Naurangpur villages in Gurugram district was issued on August 27, 2004. An Industrial Model Township was planned there.

Of the 912 acres, 224 acres were released from the acquisition process after hearing objections from farmers under Section 5-A of the Act. Subsequently, a notification under Section 6 was issued.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is investigating the case, said Atul was aware of the acquisition proceedings, but he continued to purchase notified land in the name of his companies — Aditya Buildwell Private Limited (now known as ABWIL), Jassum Estates Private Limited, Jassum Towers Private Limited and Jassum Infrastructure Private Limited.

He knew that he would get the land released, the ED said. He also purchased 12 landowning companies having the notified land. In total, he got 239 acres.

Atul applied for licences for 190 acres on December 28, 2006, on behalf of 15 companies though he did not have authorisation of 11 firms. This fact was overlooked by the Director, Town and Country Planning.

In connivance with "bureaucrats" and the "government machinery", he procured six licences and sold three of them, earning Rs 169.25 crore as proceeds of crime, the ED said.

The CBI is also pursuing the Manesar land scam separately. Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, along with 33 others, is an accused in that case.

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