ED Attaches ₹2.76 Cr Property of Punjab Patwari

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached immovable property worth ₹2.76 crore linked to Punjab revenue official Chamkaur Lal, a patwari, in a disproportionate assets probe under the Prevention of Money-laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

ED’s Jalandhar Zonal Office issued the attachment order on 28 November 2025, acting on a case that originated from a Vigilance Bureau, Punjab FIR alleging that the official amassed assets beyond his known sources of income over a defined check period. The attachment is provisional and subject to further adjudication and court proceedings.

Authorities emphasise that the matter is still under investigation and that any final determination of guilt or innocence will rest with the competent courts.

Vigilance Bureau FIR and Disproportionate Assets Probe

According to ED, its money-laundering investigation stems from an FIR registered by the Vigilance Bureau, Punjab under sections 13(1)(b) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The FIR alleged that Chamkaur Lal had accumulated assets disproportionate to his known sources of income during the check period from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2023.

During this time, he is stated to have served as a patwari in Dera Bassi and Kharar tehsils under the Government of Punjab. Earlier vigilance inquiries had already flagged concerns about wealth allegedly beyond his legitimate earnings, leading to a formal corruption case and arrest in 2023 before the matter expanded into a PMLA investigation.

What ED Says Its Investigation Has Revealed

In its press note, ED states that its financial probe indicates that Chamkaur Lal “amassed assets disproportionate to the legitimate income” of himself and his family members during the check period. The agency’s findings, as outlined so far, include:

• Identification of assets valued at approximately ₹2.76 crore that ED alleges cannot be explained by recorded sources of income.
• Evidence that alleged proceeds of crime were invested in immovable and movable properties in the name of the official and close family members.
• Tracing of financial flows where funds were reportedly routed into bank accounts of the official and his family while being disguised as loans from relatives and acquaintances, in what ED believes was an attempt to give tainted money a legitimate appearance.

ED stresses that these findings are part of an ongoing investigation into suspected money laundering arising from the original corruption case. Any further action, including possible prosecution under PMLA, will be determined as the investigation progresses and is evaluated by courts and adjudicating authorities.

Attachment Order and Next Steps in the Case

The current order covers immovable property totalling about ₹2.76 crore, which ED describes as representing the value of alleged disproportionate assets and proceeds of crime identified so far. Detailed property-wise valuation will form part of the case record placed before the PMLA Adjudicating Authority.

Under PMLA, a provisional attachment:

• Prevents the transfer, sale or encumbrance of the attached properties while proceedings are ongoing.
• Is subject to confirmation by the Adjudicating Authority, which examines whether the properties qualify as “proceeds of crime”.
• Can ultimately lead to confiscation if the Authority and the Special Court so order, or release if allegations are not sustained.

ED has noted that “further investigation is in progress”, which could include additional property tracing, examination of financial records and coordination with the Vigilance Bureau and other agencies involved in the underlying corruption case.

Why This Case Matters for Public-Sector Integrity

For anti-corruption and compliance professionals, the Chamkaur Lal case highlights key risks around public-servant wealth monitoring and illicit-enrichment investigations:

• Disproportionate asset tracking – Long check periods (multiple assessment years) require robust methods to reconcile salary, known income and asset accretion for public officials and their close family members.
• Use of informal “loans” and family accounts – Routing funds through relatives and acquaintances as ostensible loans remains a common layering technique in corruption and money-laundering cases.
• Land and property as preferred asset class – Real estate continues to be a primary destination for alleged illicit wealth in many public-sector investigations.

For state governments, vigilance bodies and departments handling land and revenue administration, such cases reinforce the need for integrated oversight across asset declarations, land registries, banking data and disciplinary processes.

Shunyatax Global View – Anti-Corruption, DA Cases & PMLA

At Shunyatax Global, disproportionate assets (DA) and PMLA-linked actions against public officials are seen as a convergence point between anti-corruption frameworks and financial crime controls.

For governments, PSUs, regulators and oversight bodies, we typically focus on three pillars:

1. Wealth and conflict-of-interest mapping
   Designing structured asset-declaration regimes, cross-checks against property and company registries, and conflict-of-interest analytics for sensitive roles.
2. Data-led DA and PMLA risk analytics
   Using financial, property and lifestyle indicators to flag high-risk profiles and support vigilance, Lokayukta and ED-style investigations with better-quality evidence.
3. Forensic-ready documentation and coordination
   Ensuring internal records, approvals and audit trails are strong enough to support independent anti-corruption enquiries, PMLA proceedings and court scrutiny.

Effective anti-corruption and AML programmes not only reduce legal and reputational risk, they also strengthen public trust in institutions and governance processes.

Shunyatax.in Anti-Corruption & Public Sector Compliance Advisory

If your organisation operates in the public sector, state enterprises, regulatory bodies or land and revenue administration, cases like the Punjab patwari disproportionate assets probe are a timely signal to re-examine your integrity and compliance controls.

Shunyatax Global works with government departments, PSUs and regulated entities to:

• Design and review anti-corruption and ethics frameworks aligned with statutory requirements.
• Strengthen asset-declaration, whistleblower and conflict-of-interest processes.
• Develop data-driven monitoring for DA-style red flags and potential PMLA exposure.
• Support investigations and enforcement responses with forensic and regulatory expertise.

Visit Shunyatax Auditing Services to request a confidential review of your anti-corruption and public sector compliance posture, and to follow the Shunyatax News & Insights column for ongoing coverage of financial crime, cyber risk and regulatory developments.