HC grants CBI two more weeks to submit status report on Ambience Mall land case

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday granted two weeks more to CBI to submit a status report on investigation into the “illegal” conversion of a portion of almost 19 acres meant for Ambience Lagoon Island Residential Complex in Gurgaon into a commercial complex.

Seeking two weeks more to submit the status report, the CBI informed the court that the investigation is proceeding in earnest, record has been collected and certain witnesses have been examined.

In view of this, a division bench comprising Justice Rajan Gupta and Justice Karamjit Singh granted two weeks’ time to the agency to file a status report. The case will now be heard on October 14.

The main allegations in the case are that the builder had built the mall and other commercial buildings on land meant exclusively for a residential area. On July 10, the high court directed CBI to register an FIR and investigate the matter in six months.

Referring the matter to CBI, the HC observed that a separate investigation by an independent agency is necessary to probe illegal actions and offence, if any, and possible collusion between builder and state authorities.

The HC quashed the order through which a portion of the residential complex was de-licenced for commercial purposes. On August 10, the CBI registered a case against Raj Singh Gehlot, a resident of Green Park Extension, New Delhi; Ambience Ltd; Ambience Developers and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd; unknown officials of HUDA, town and country planning department of Haryana and other unknown private persons.

It had also conducted searches at four locations, including Delhi, Panchkula and Chandigarh at the premises of the accused and others related to the case. The matter is under investigation.