ED attaches 101 bighas of land linked to ex-minister Harak Singh Rawat

Dehradun: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached 101 bighas (approximately 62 acres) of land, worth over Rs 70 crore, in Dehradun linked to the family of Harak Singh Rawat, former forest minister of Uttarakhand in connection with a money laundering probe. In a statement on its official social media page, the ED said, "ED, Dehradun, has provisionally attached immovable property on Jan 20, 2025, in the form of land around 101 bighas situated in Dehradun district and having a registered value of Rs 6.6 crore — current market value is more than Rs 70 crore — in the case of Birendra Singh Kandari and others under the provisions of PMLA, 2002."An ED officer in Dehradun, who requested anonymity, told TOI that the case originated from a land fraud registered at Sahaspur police station last year. The ED began its investigation in February 2024 and found that despite a court order, the late Sushila Rani had registered two powers of attorney for the land in favour of Kandari and another individual, Narendra Kumar Walia. Kandari, a former personal secretary to Rawat, later sold the land to Dipti Rawat and Lakshmi Rana.The officer added, "Of the two buyers, Dipti, is Harak Singh Rawat's wife. The land was sold at a price far below the applicable circle rate. Currently, a medical institute stands on the land in question. The institute is run by a trust chaired by Dipti and other close associates of Rawat. The investigation has revealed that Dipti conspired with Kandari, the late Rani, and others to acquire the land fraudulently. A probe is ongoing."While TOI's attempts to reach Harak Singh Rawat were unsuccessful, Congress questioned the timing of the ED's action, accusing the BJP-led govt of using the agency to "intimidate the opposition". State Congress vice-president Suryakant Dhasmana said, "The timing of the ED's action is suspicious, coming just as Rawat was becoming active in campaigning. This pattern occurred during previous general and assembly elections as well. If the accusations against him hold merit, the ED should act without delay. However, targeting him only around elections exposes govt's intent to silence us."