ED Seeks FIR in Mohali Development Projects Scam After Providing Evidence Against Key Accused Nitin Gohal; AAP-SAD Trade Jibes 

THE ENFORCEMENT DIRECTORATE (ED) has sought the registration of an FIR against Mohali-based IT professional Nitin Gohal and others in relation to the alleged irregularities in development projects of Suntec City and Altus Space Builders. This is the third time the central agency has written to Punjab Police demanding a complaint in the case. The letter, dated August 31, 2026, was reshared on X by Sukhbir Singh Badal, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president, on September 2, alleging corruption in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. 

In its letter, the ED, Jalandhar Zonal Office, was replying to the Punjab Bureau of Investigation, stating that the material under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which the latter agency is seeking, has already been provided. The ED further requested that the FIR be registered in light of this evidence, which include chats, screenshots, and statement of Nitin Gohal recorded in May 2026. It has asked for a copy of the complaint before the next hearing of the case in the Punjab and Haryana High Court on September 3, 2026.

Who is Nitin Gohal?

Nitin Gohal is a tech entrepreneur from Mohali. He is the founder and CEO of Fortec Web Solutions Private Limited and TechLive Solutions. In May 2026, his residence in the Western Towers, Kharar, was among the several sites searched by the ED in relation to the money laundering case. The agency claims that during the raid bags containing around ₹21 lakh in cash were thrown from the ninth-floor balcony and later recovered.

The ED’s probe has so far linked Gohal to the case and accused him of working as a middleman who helped real estate companies forge documents to get approval from the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA). The opposition leaders have also alleged that Gohal assured political protection to these builders due to his links in AAP. The central agency claims to have recovered various evidence in connection to these allegations and requested an FIR for the same.

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AAP-SAD Trade Blows Over Alleged Money Laundering Case

On September 2, 2026, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal took to X and shared the ED’s latest letter to the Punjab Police. He questioned the delay in registering the FIR against Nitin Gohal even after the third request. He wrote, “The ED has now submitted additional evidence in the form of chats, screenshots and certified electronic records too! So what exactly is Punjab Police waiting for?”

Badal called Bhagwant Mann “Guru Dokhi” (anti-Guru) and asked, “If there is nothing to hide, why is your government running away from filing an FIR?”

The same day AAP Punjab president Aman Arora responded to the ED’s probe in the alleged land scam case. Addressing the media, he said that the roots of the entire controversy emerge from the previous governments of SAD-BJP and Congress, as they were the ones who approved the layouts and allocated spendings in these projects.

Directly challenging the ED, Arora said, “If the actions of the ED are correct and impartial, then they should show the courage. They should take Sukhbir Badal, Captain Amarinder Singh, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Sukhbir Singh Sukh Sarkaria also into custody along with us, question them, and then the truth will come out clearly.”

The Punjab and Haryana High Court is scheduled to hear a public interest litigation related to this case on September 3, 2026. According to the reports the state government has been asked to clarify its response to the action proposed by the ED as part of the PIL.

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