The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday (August 17, 2026) provisionally attached properties worth ₹152.5 crore in connection with two separate money-laundering probes in Gujarat involving a fake government office racket and a real estate fraud.

The Ahmedabad zonal office of the probe agency said it has attached movable and immovable properties worth ₹22.7 crore in connection with the fake government offices scam busted in Dahod district in 2023, and attached immovable properties worth ₹129.80 crore in a case related to a real estate fraud in Ahmedabad.

Officials seized land parcels, mutual fund investments, and bank balances of key accused who siphoned off public funds through bogus government offices in Dahod and cheated several homebuyers through fraudulent housing schemes in Ahmedabad.

“The ED attached properties belonging to one Abubakar Jakirali Saiyad and his family members and associates, in connection with an FIR registered in Dahod,” the agency stated in a release.

The accused alleged created six fake government offices of the Irrigation and Water Resources Department in Dahod district, securing government grants worth crores of rupees on the pretext of implementing "irrigation-related projects".

B.D. Ninama, a former IAS officer, was one of the several accused arrested in this connection.

“The accused allegedly impersonated government officials, forged seals and signatures, prepared fake documents and fraudulently obtained government grants,” the release said.

The ED probe revealed that the accused persons, acting in conspiracy, obtained approval for 121 fake works and fraudulently received government funds, which they routed through a complex network of bank accounts and later used to acquire properties, make investments and for other purposes, it stated.

“The probe agency has attached assets, including seven parcels of land, investments in mutual funds and balances in various bank accounts worth ₹22.7 crore,” it added.

In another case, the ED initiated an investigation in a housing fraud in Ahmedabad, attaching immovable properties worth ₹129.8 crore.

A probe was launched based on five FIRs registered at Navrangpura and Bopal police stations against the accused, Ronak Sonani, Vipul Gangani and others.

According to the agency, the accused cheated ordinary homebuyers, small investors, traders and middle-class families.

"They projected their real estate schemes as genuine projects, offering flats and shops at attractive pre-launch prices. They also promised assured returns ranging from 54% to 100%," it said.

“However, the projects were marketed without mandatory approvals, the promised flats and shops were not delivered and the money was not refunded,” the ED said.

"Investigation revealed that the accused followed a planned method, inducing buyers through false promises, collecting money, diverting the funds and hiding properties acquired from such funds," it said.

“In the Chharodi project, the accused duped 250 buyers and investors by telling them that RERA registration and N.A. permission were "under process" and later, sold or transferred the land meant for the project to others,” the agency said.

"It is found that the accused transferred properties to third parties through dummy sale deeds without genuine payment. Fictitious payment details were shown in registered documents to make the transactions appear legal," the ED said.

Published - August 17, 2026 09:07 pm IST