The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Jammu, has provisionally attached several immovable properties, including three hotels, worth Rs 15.78 crore at the famous tourist destination of Patnitop in the Jammu region, the ED said on Saturday.
Attachment of these immovable properties has been done under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The provisionally attached properties comprise land, buildings, and income generated from the running of Hotel Pine Heritage, Hotel Dream Land and Hotel Shahi Santoor, all located in Patnitop.
The probe stems from an earlier FIR filed by CBI against the owners and directors of hotels, guest houses, resorts and cottages in the tourist destination and officials of Patnitop Development Authority (PDA).
It has been alleged that they indulged in the commercial use of residential buildings, excess construction beyond approved limits, and operating businesses in prohibited areas such as dense forests, agricultural areas, and residential areas, among others.
The CBI complaint said these “lapses” were overlooked by PDA officials, the ED said in a statement.
Patnitop, a famous hill station, is located 47 km from Udhampur and 112 km from Jammu. It is thronged by tourists around the year.
A provisional order was issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on Friday against Hotel Pine Heritage, Hotel Dream Land and Hotel Shahi Santoor to attach their land, building and income worth Rs 15.78 crore, the ED said.
The three hotels, according to the ED, were built beyond the area permitted by the PDA and had undertaken “illegal” construction.
The probe agency, in January this year, had attached two properties — Hotel Trinetra Resorts and Hotel Green Orchid — in Patnitop in the same case and said their worth was Rs 14.93 crore.