Why ED Wants an FIR Against Punjab Cricket Association Over ₹78-Crore Land Deals

PCA Land Deal: The Enforcement Directorate has asked Mohali Police to register an FIR against the Punjab Cricket Association over ₹78-crore land deals in Ajnala and Bathinda. Here is what the probe uncovered.

North Desk Correspondent

Mohali, October 14

PCA Land Deal: The Punjab Cricket Association (PCA)—the governing body for cricket in Punjab and Chandigarh affiliated with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)—has come under sharp regulatory scrutiny. In a formal communication sent to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), SAS Nagar (Mohali), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sought the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against the PCA, its leadership, and private entities over alleged financial irregularities in land purchases worth ₹77.99 crore.

The investigation points to inflated land purchases in Amritsar and Bathinda, short-turnaround resales by intermediary firms at over 15 times their original cost, and subsequent fund transfers to private bank accounts.

Here is a full breakdown of the case, the legal framework invoked, and how the probe unfolded.

1. Why Did the ED Approach Punjab Police Instead of Filing Its Own Case Directly?

PCA Land Deal: Under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), the ED cannot independently file an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) without the existence of a registered “predicate offence” (a scheduled crime like cheating, forgery, or criminal conspiracy registered by a state police agency or the CBI).

The ED invoked Section 66(2) of the PMLA, which empowers the agency to share intelligence and evidence with law enforcement agencies when an inquiry uncovers information pointing to offences under other penal statutes. In its letter to the Mohali SSP, the ED flagged prima facie evidence of:

Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS): Criminal conspiracy.

Section 318(4) of the BNS: Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property.

Once Mohali Police register an FIR based on this communication, the ED gains the formal statutory foundation required to initiate full-fledged money-laundering proceedings and attach assets.

2. The Deals in Question: A Side-by-Side Comparison

TPCA Land Deal: he ED’s scrutiny centers on two transactions executed in late 2024 and early 2026 across Amritsar and Bathinda districts:

Parameter Ajnala (Amritsar District), Deon Village (Bathinda District)

Land Size: 155 kanals, 15.5 marlas (approx. 19.5 acres) 100 kanals, 10 marlas (approx. 12.5 acres) |

| Total Price Paid by PCA | ₹58.22 crore | ₹19.76 crore |

| Selling Entities | M/s AGM Heights Pvt Ltd & M/s Future Homes | Darshan Singh (individual seller) |

| Effective Purchase Rate | ~₹37.4 lakh per kanal | ~₹19.67 lakh per kanal |

| Benchmark / Prior Rate | Acquired from farmers at ₹2.22 lakh – ₹2.48 lakh/kanal | Government collector rate of ₹5 lakh/kanal |

| **Price Multiplier Flagged** | **~15.4 times** the farmers’ purchase price | **~3.93 times** above the collector rate |

3. What Did the ED’s Preliminary Inquiry Uncover?

PCA Land Deal: The 3-to-6 Month Markup in Ajnala

Scrutiny of land deeds from the Sub-Registrar office in Ajnala revealed that two private entities, AGM Heights Pvt Ltd and Future Homes, acquired roughly 285 kanals of agricultural land directly from local farmers between August and November 2025 for a combined cost of ₹6.92 crore.

On February 16, 2026, within three to six months of acquiring the land, these firms sold 155 kanals and 15.5 marlas of that parcel to the PCA for ₹58.22 crore. The rate was pegged at approximately ₹37.4 lakh per kanal—the single highest rate ever recorded in the area for that fiscal period (where the second-highest recorded transaction hovered around ₹7.5 lakh per kanal).

Fund Tracing and Immediate Dispersal

PCA Land Deal: The agency tracked the money trail right after payments were credited by the PCA:

AGM Heights: Received ₹11.91 crore (net of TDS) on February 17, 2026, into an HDFC Bank account. The ED noted the entire sum was siphoned out within two months, including ₹3.6 crore to a private recipient, ₹2 crore to a PCA director, and ₹69.5 lakh to a construction firm.

Future Homes: Received ₹45.72 crore (net of TDS) on February 18, 2026, in a Punjab National Bank account. Of this, ₹45 crore was transferred out in equal shares of ₹22.5 crore each to two partners.

Bathinda Deal: Net proceeds of ₹19.57 crore paid to Darshan Singh across three separate bank accounts were rapidly distributed to third parties, with ₹44.60 lakh withdrawn in cash.

4. How Did the Matter Reach the High Court?

PCA Land Deal: The controversy surfaced after former Ranji cricketer Rakesh Handa filed a petition before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Handa alleged that the PCA management committed serious procedural and statutory violations, specifically pointing out that mandatory clearances from the PCA Governing Body and the Annual General Meeting (AGM) were bypassed while clearing these high-value acquisitions.

On August 18, 2026, the High Court issued notices to both the PCA and the ED. The ED subsequently conducted its preliminary probe and submitted its status report, leading to the Section 66(2) communication sent to Mohali police.

5. What Is the PCA’s Defence?

PCA Land Deal: PCA President Amarjeet Singh Mehta has maintained that all transactions were carried out transparently and in accordance with procedure. Mehta stated that the association had issued an open public advertisement for land procurement in August 2025, enabling any interested landowner or developer to participate and submit proposals.

What Happens Next?

1. FIR Registration: Mohali police are examining the dossier sent by the ED under the BNS.

2. Predicate Crime & PMLA Case: Once an FIR is formally registered, the ED can initiate an ECIR, summon officials for recording statements under Section 50 of PMLA, and move toward provisional attachment of the land parcels and linked accounts.

3. High Court Hearing: The status report and police actions will be placed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court in upcoming proceedings.

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