Diplomat Correspondent
Jammu, (DD):The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Jammu Sub-Zonal Office, has provisionally attached immovable properties worth approximately Rs 15.78 crore under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with the Patnitop Development Authority (PDA) case.
The attached assets include land, buildings, and income generated from three prominent hotels in the Patnitop area—Hotel Pine Heritage, Hotel Dream Land, and Hotel Shahi Santoor.
The ED initiated its probe based on an FIR registered by the CBI, ACB Jammu, against multiple hotel owners/directors and officials of the PDA. The FIR alleged widespread violations including:
Commercial use of residential buildings
Unauthorized construction exceeding approved limits
Illegal operations in ecologically sensitive areas such as dense forests, agricultural zones, and residential areas
Willful negligence and regulatory lapses by PDA officials
Investigations revealed that the aforementioned hotels were constructed beyond permissible limits sanctioned by the PDA. These structures generated illicit revenue through unauthorized commercial operations, leading to the current action by the ED.
This is the second major attachment in the case. In January 2025, the ED had previously attached Hotel Trinetar Resorts and Hotel Green Orchid, both in Patnitop, worth Rs 14.93 crore.
The case highlights a deeper nexus between illegal construction, misuse of ecologically sensitive land, and regulatory failure. Further investigation is underway, and more attachments and legal actions are expected(DD)