The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached three hotels in Patnitop, Jammu and Kashmir, along with their income, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The total value of these attachments is Rs 15.78 crore.
The hotels identified are Hotel Pine Heritage, Hotel Dream Land, and Hotel Shahi Santoor. According to the ED, these properties were constructed beyond the permitted areas and involved “illegal” construction.
This action stems from a CBI FIR that targeted owners and directors of various hospitality establishments in Patnitop, as well as officials of the Patnitop Development Authority (PDA). The allegations include:
- Commercial use of residential buildings.
- Construction exceeding approved limits.
- Operating businesses in prohibited zones like dense forests, agricultural areas, and residential localities.
The CBI complaint also noted that PDA officials allegedly overlooked these violations.
This is not the first attachment in this case. In January of this year, the ED attached two other properties in Patnitop—Hotel Trinetra Resorts and Hotel Green Orchid—valued at Rs 14.93 crore, as part of the same ongoing investigation.
Patnitop is a popular hill station, situated 47 km from Udhampur and 112 km from Jammu, attracting tourists year-round.
