The Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) is facing scrutiny over land purchases worth nearly ₹78 crore (approx. US$8 million), with India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) asking Punjab Police to register a criminal case over suspected financial irregularities involving the cricket governing body, according to a report by The Indian Express.
The investigation centres on property acquired for proposed cricket facilities in Amritsar and Bathinda, where the ED has identified substantial differences between the amounts paid by the PCA and earlier land valuations. The agency has also questioned the subsequent movement of money received by sellers, raising allegations of possible misappropriation of association funds.
In a letter dated October 12 to Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police Varun Sharma, the ED requested a formal investigation into transactions it believes may involve criminal conspiracy and cheating.
Amritsar land purchases raise questions over pricing
The largest transaction under examination concerns approximately 19.5 acres of agricultural land in Bhalla village, Amritsar, acquired by the PCA for ₹58.22 crore (approx. US$6.13 million) on February 16, 2026.
Two property developers, AGM Heights Private Limited and Future Homes, had purchased larger landholdings from local farmers between August and November 2025 before selling portions to the cricket association.
According to the ED’s findings, the firms collectively acquired approximately 35.64 acres for ₹6.92 crore (approx. US$728,000). Within three to six months, they sold a smaller combined area to the PCA for more than eight times that total expenditure.
The agency calculated that the association paid approximately 15.4 times the developers’ average acquisition price per acre. Separately, an examination of individual land transactions by The Indian Express identified purchases at around ₹15 lakh (approx. US$16K) per acre, followed by sales to the PCA at nearly ₹3 crore (approx. US$316K) per acre.
Further transactions involving the same developers in Bhalla village during July 2026 recorded prices of approximately ₹31 lakh to ₹33 lakh (approx. US$33K to US$35K) per acre, adding to questions about the valuations used in the PCA’s purchase.
ED seeks criminal investigation into the transactions
The ED’s referral to Punjab Police sets out its concerns about the short interval between the original purchases and the substantially higher resale prices.
In its communication to Sharma, the agency stated: “It is apparent that land acquired by the PCA was purchased by various individuals/entities shortly before and thereafter sold to PCA within a few months at multiple times their purchase price and that cognizable offences, including criminal conspiracy and cheating have been committed.”
The ED submitted the information under provisions of India’s anti-money laundering legislation, seeking police action on the suspected offences.
Explaining the legal basis for its referral, the agency wrote: “The information is being shared under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for registration of an FIR, under appropriate sections…”
The suspected offences identified by the agency include criminal conspiracy and cheating under Sections 61(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The request for an FIR represents a recommendation for criminal investigation, rather than a judicial finding of wrongdoing.
Financial transfers after land sales come under scrutiny
Beyond the purchase prices, investigators have examined how payments made by the PCA were distributed after reaching the sellers’ bank accounts.
According to India Today, AGM Heights received approximately ₹11.91 crore (approx. US$1.25 million), excluding tax deducted at source, from the association in February 2026. The ED found that the amount was withdrawn or transferred out within two months, including payments of ₹3.58 crore (approx. US$377K) to Harimohan Kaur Randhawa and ₹2.03 crore (approx. US$214K) to company director Gurpreet Singh.
Future Homes received approximately ₹45.72 crore (approx. US$4.8 million), excluding tax deducted at source. Of that amount, ₹45 crore (approx. US$4.74 million) was subsequently transferred to partners Ramneek Singh and Shallu Dhingra in equal payments of ₹22.50 crore (approx. US$2.37 million).
The ED also identified financial transactions between the two developers, including a transfer from Future Homes to AGM Heights after the former received payment from the PCA.
These findings have prompted questions about the ultimate recipients of the money, although the transfers themselves do not establish criminal wrongdoing.
Bathinda acquisition adds to ED’s concerns
A separate transaction involves approximately 12.56 acres in Deon village, Bathinda, purchased by the PCA from Darshan Singh on December 20, 2024, for approximately ₹19.76 crore (approx. US$2.1 million).
The ED calculated that the association paid around ₹1.57 crore (approx. US$165K) per acre, compared with a government collector rate of approximately ₹40 lakh (approx. US$42K) per acre. The purchase price was therefore around 3.93 times the official valuation.
The agency also examined the proceeds received by Singh, including transfers to other individuals and cash withdrawals.
In its letter to Punjab Police, the ED stated: “Darshan Singh, a seller, received about Rs 19.57 crore, excluding TDS, across three bank accounts, after which most funds moved to other persons and Rs 44.60 lakh was withdrawn in cash. The preliminary enquiries ‘prima facie’ indicate possible misappropriation of society funds and cash withdrawals after payments. The transactions point to suspected criminal conspiracy and cheating under Sections 61(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.”
The ED also drew attention to the local connections of PCA President Amarjit Singh Mehta, who has led the association since February 2023.
Its letter stated: “PCA chief Amarjeet Singh Mehta hails from Bathinda and his son Padamjeet Singh Mehta is the mayor. Thus, Amarjeet is the influential person in Bathinda, the place where 100 kanals and 10 marlas was purchased on December 20, 2024, from Darshan Singh.”
The reference to Mehta’s connections forms part of the ED’s preliminary findings and does not, by itself, establish misconduct by him or his family.
PCA President defends land purchase process
Mehta has defended the association’s handling of the Amritsar transaction, maintaining that the property was acquired through an advertised process open to interested landowners.
The PCA President answered to The Indian Express: “The purchase followed the proper procedure.”
He also disputed concerns over the property’s valuation, describing the land as “now worth three times as much”.
According to The Indian Express ,neither the PCA nor the two developers had obtained Change of Land Use approval for the agricultural property. Such approval could have provided a basis for assessing the land differently from its existing agricultural classification.
RTI Activist Rajiv Vashisth, whose efforts helped bring transaction records into public scrutiny, questioned the sharp differences in prices.
He told The Indian Express: “The central question is how the price of agricultural land could increase nearly 20 times within a few months when land in the same village was still being transacted at around Rs 33 lakh an acre. This entire scam needs an in-depth probe by investigating agencies.”
Bhalla Village Sarpanch Jai Mal Singh, meanwhile, said local farmers had not raised objections over their original sales. Explaining their position, he said: “they have no complaints because nobody knew at the time that a stadium would come up here”.
High Court proceedings and next steps
The land purchases have also featured in legal proceedings initiated by former Punjab Ranji cricketer Rakesh Handa, who challenged decisions by the PCA management and raised allegations concerning its property transactions.
Handa questioned whether the association had obtained the necessary approvals from its Governing Body or Annual General Meeting before committing funds to the purchases.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court issued notices to the ED and PCA management in August 2026. The ED subsequently conducted a preliminary inquiry and submitted its findings in connection with the proceedings.
According to The New Indian Express, the court later disposed of Handa’s petition concerning his membership termination, with the PCA arguing that the dispute should be pursued through a civil suit. The ED’s letter and affidavit were supplied to the parties but were not taken on the court record.
The PCA, which administers cricket in Punjab and Chandigarh and is affiliated with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), now faces the possibility of a police investigation into how funds were used for the proposed facilities.
The next development will depend on Punjab Police’s response to the ED’s request for an FIR and any subsequent examination of the land purchases and associated financial transactions.
