Probe Agency ED Files Chargesheet Against Congress Leader, Wife In Land Deal Case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said it has filed a chargesheet against former Uttarakhand minister and Congress leader Harak Singh Rawat, his wife Deepti Rawat and others in a money laundering case linked to the alleged usurping of two parcels of land worth over Rs 70 crore in Dehradun.

Besides, Harak Singh Rawat's alleged associate Birendra Singh Kandari, Laxmi Singh Rana and the Smt. Poorna Devi Memorial Trust have also been named in the chargesheet. 

The case is based on a First Information Report registered against Birendra Singh and others at Sahaspur Police Station, Dehradun, under several sections of the Indian Penal Code. ED's investigation revealed that Birendra Singh Kandari and Harak Singh Rawat, in a criminal conspiracy, got lands registered in the names of their close relatives Deepti Rawat and Laxmi Rana.

The probe also revealed that despite clear court orders, the late Sushila Rani, along with others, registered the power of attorney documents for two plots of land. Later, Birendra Singh Kandari, who is considered close to Harak Singh Rawat, sold these lands at very low prices to Deepti Rawat and Laxmi Rana - prices much lower than the circle rate of the area.

According to ED, these lands are now part of the Doon Institute of Medical Sciences, which operates under the Shrimati Poorna Devi Memorial Trust. This trust is reportedly entirely controlled by Harak Singh Rawat and his family.

Notably, in January 2025, ED had already provisionally attached about 101 bighas of land in connection with the case. The government-assessed value of the land is approximately ₹6.56 crore, while the current market value is estimated to be over ₹70 crore.

ED's investigation in the case is underway.