The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached immovable properties worth ₹10.66 crore in the Patnitop Hotels land encroachment case, targeting four hotels—Hotel Holiday Inn, Hotel Broadway, Hotel Hollywood, and Hotel Mountview—for alleged violations. This latest action brings the total provisional attachment in the case to ₹41.38 crore, following an earlier seizure of ₹30.72 crore.
The ED's intervention follows the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filing six charge sheets against eight hotel owners and Patnitop Development Authority (PDA) officials, citing violations under the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act and Jammu and Kashmir Forest Act, among others.
Hotel Holiday Inn stands out for exceeding approved construction by 7,552.74 sq. ft, a clear violation of zoning regulations. Meanwhile, Hotel Broadway, Hotel Hollywood, and Hotel Mountview allegedly operated commercially without permits, including in restricted areas such as dense forests, agricultural land, and residential zones.
The PMLA provides the legal basis for the ED's actions, enabling the seizure of assets suspected to be derived from illegal activities.
The ED's action treats these properties as proceeds of crime under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), reinforcing the gravity of the alleged violations.
The CBI's charge sheets highlight PDA officials' alleged failure to enforce regulations, allowing unauthorized constructions and commercial operations to proceed unchecked. The ED's attachment of these properties signals a crackdown on systemic non-compliance in land-use governance.
The PMLA provides the legal basis for the ED's actions, enabling the seizure of assets suspected to be derived from illegal activities. With ₹41.38 crore now provisionally attached, the case underscores the determination to enforce land-use and anti-corruption laws in Jammu–Kashmir.
The investigation continues as authorities examine additional potential violations.
