After Lko, 2 more FIRs filed against Ansal API
BDA’s FIR mentions four names Sushil Ansal, Pranav Ansal, Shahzad Ahmed, Shamim Ahmed and one unidentified person.
Two more FIRs were filed against Ansal API, its directors and promoters in Ghaziabad and Gautambuddhnagar on Wednesday. The development comes a day after Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) lodged an FIR against the company chairman Sushil Ansal, his son Pranav Ansal and four others on Tuesday.
The Ansal API group is in the news since it filed a 48-page bankruptcy application in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).
The Yogi Adityanath government has decided to challenge the NCLT’s order in the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT). The state government has ordered to lodge FIRs against the Ansal API across the state in districts where the developer has allegedly duped investors.
On Wednesday, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) filed an FIR against Ansal API at the Crossing Republic police station under the Ghaziabad Commissionerate limits. For its part, the Bulandshahr-Khurja Development Authority (BDA) filed an FIR against the firm and its promoters under the Gautambuddhnagar police commissionerate limits on Wednesday.
BDA’s FIR mentions four names Sushil Ansal, Pranav Ansal, Shahzad Ahmed, Shamim Ahmed and one unidentified person.
This FIR was lodged under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 420 (Cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 467 (Forgery of documents), 468 (using the documents intent to cheat) mentioning that the crime was committed during 2006.
The FIR filed by BDA mentions that the hi-tech township project was approved in Tehsil-Dadri of Gautambuddhanagar under the Hi-Tech Township Policy-2003. Uttam Steels and Associates (Consortium) secured approvals but failed to comply with regulations. The developer did not submit the revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) for 1660 acre as required and defaulted on fees, paying only ₹3.32 crore out of ₹13.28 crore for time extension.
Without obtaining a completion certificate, the developer illegally sold flats and villas, leading to registration of an FIR. The Fairway Apartment project saw 14 out of 15 planned towers constructed, but only two received conditional approval. Due to non-compliance and lack of basic amenities, BDA revoked approvals, sealed unoccupied flats, and warned of legal action.
The four names mentioned in the GDA FIR include Pranav Ansal (director), Vikas Yadav (director), Amit Shukla (general manager and representative) and other representatives of officials of the company. The FIR filed by GDA was lodged under eight sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 318 (4) cheating, 61 (2) criminal conspiracy, along with Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, on the complaint of GDA’s junior engineer Gyan Prakash Dwivedi.
According to the FIR, the developer illegally constructed buildings on land designated for economically weaker sections (EWS) and lower-income groups (LIG) and created unauthorised plots for sale. The GDA alleged that the company violated township development conditions, forged documents, and engaged in fraudulent activities for financial gain.
The FIR mentioned that the project was initially approved for 152.89 acres under government orders in 2003 and 2006, with a 127-acre development plan approved in 2006.
However, after a 2016 High Court ruling, 14.5 hectares were removed from the plan. A revised DPR (Detailed Project Report) for 99.75 acres was approved in 2020, but the developer failed to complete essential infrastructure as required.
In the FIR, GDA claimed the violations were intentional and aimed at deceiving buyers, leading to legal action under Sections 26, 27, and 28 of the UP-Town Planning and Development Act, 1973.
More FIRs are expected against the Ansal API in other districts where the developer has allegedly duped investors. The developer has also informed the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), where the company is listed, about the issue. The company’s scrip code in NSE is Ansal API. Apart from Uttar Pradesh, the group has a presence in NCR, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan in North India. In Uttar Pradesh, the group has its presence in Lucknow, Agra, Meerut, Jhansi and several other districts.
