In a major breakthrough in the ₹170-crore money laundering case linked to the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), a Special Court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on Tuesday remanded former MLA and ex-Account Assistant Ram Niwas Surjakhera to five days of Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody.
Ram Niwas was arrested late on Monday night by the ED’s Chandigarh Zonal Office-I, along with Sunil Kumar Bansal, former Senior Accounts Officer of HSVP. Both are accused of orchestrating a large-scale financial conspiracy during their tenure with the state’s urban development body, formerly known as HUDA.
During Tuesday’s hearing, the ED sought a 14-day remand, arguing that custodial interrogation was essential to trace the money trail, confront the accused with evidence, and prevent tampering with official documents. However, the court granted five-day custody.
Opposing the remand plea, advocate SPS Parmar, counsel for Ram Niwas, termed the arrest “illegal and unjustified.” The court, however, sided with the ED, stressing the seriousness of the allegations.
According to the ED’s remand application, over ₹100 crore was allegedly withdrawn in cash and funneled through third-party bank accounts. These accounts were often opened using the credentials of unsuspecting individuals under the guise of “compensation settlements.” Investigators claim that Ram Niwas personally collected cash from intermediaries and routed illicit funds into accounts held by himself and his family.
The case originated from an FIR filed on March 7, 2023, at Sector-7 Police Station in Panchkula. The complaint, lodged by Chaman Lal, Chief Accounts Officer at HSVP headquarters, flagged suspicious debit transactions worth ₹70 crore from a bank account that was not recorded in HSVP’s IT or cash branch records. The irregularities occurred between 2015 and 2019.
Subsequently, the ED registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) on October 26, 2023, under provisions of the PMLA, 2002, and launched a detailed investigation.
So far, the agency has issued three Provisional Attachment Orders worth approximately ₹21 crore. These properties have been confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority in New Delhi.
Following their arrest, procedural delays at Ambala Jail forced both accused to spend the night at the ED office in Chandigarh. Further arrests and asset seizures are expected as the probe widens.
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