Chandigarh, Jan 18: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to submit a formal proposal regarding the formation of a specialized committee to restore properties to over 2,000 homebuyers in Gurugram. This committee, likely to be headed by a former High Court judge, would be tasked with verifying and settling claims for properties currently attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Neerja Kulwant Kalson issued the order following a petition from a homebuyer involved in projects across Sectors 37-D, 92, and 95. These projects were slated for development in the villages of Basai, Gadoli Kalan, Hayatpur, and Wazipur.
“The enactment vests power upon the Special Court for restoration of property during pendency of trial,” the Bench observed, noting that the sheer volume of claimants necessitates a structured administrative approach.
The legal dispute centers on properties linked to M/s Ramprashta Promoters and Developers Private Limited. The ED had issued a provisional attachment order on July 11, 2025, which was subsequently confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority on December 19, 2025. This move left thousands of buyers in limbo, leading them to seek relief through the court system.
During the proceedings, legal counsel Viraj Gandhi, Harit Narang, and Adarsh Dubey argued that the Central Government has already established the Prevention of Money Laundering (Restoration of Confiscated Property) Rules, 2016. These rules provide a specific framework for the Special Court to return assets to legitimate claimants even while a trial is ongoing.
The ED’s senior panel counsel, Lokesh Narang, acknowledged the complexity of the situation due to the large number of affected parties. He suggested that enlarging the scope of the current petition to include a restoration committee would be the most efficient path forward.
“Since the homebuyers are large in number, more than about 2,000, it would be appropriate to constitute a restoration committee under the Chairmanship of a former Judge of this Court or any other High Court,” the Bench noted in its records.
The court has now granted the ED until February 10 to file an affidavit confirming this course of action. This deadline coincides with the next scheduled hearing, where the court will decide whether to officially broaden the petition’s scope to provide a collective remedy for all impacted buyers in the Ramprashta projects.
