FIRs against Ansal API in Ghaziabad, Lucknow after UP CM vows legal action

Ghaziabad: An FIR was registered on Tuesday against directors and office bearers of Ansal Properties and Infra Ltd under different BNS sections, including fraud, and sections of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984.
It was the second FIR filed against Ansal API the same evening – the first was in Lucknow – within hours of chief minister Yogi Adityanath's statement in the assembly that the state govt would seize the realtor's assets "if even one case of fraud against homebuyers came to the fore". There was a political dimension, too, with the CM saying the realtor had the patronage of Samajwadi Party.
The FIR filed in Ghaziabad, based on a GDA complaint, relates to alleged malpractices in an Ansal township at Dundahera near Crossings Republik. The FIR names Pranav Ansal and Vikas Yadav, directors of Ansal Properties and Infra Ltd, group general manager Amit Shukla, and other office bearers. The FIR was filed under BNS 318(4) (cheating), 338 (forgery), 336(3) (forgery with intent to harm reputation), 340(2) (forged document), 111 (land grabbing), 329(3) (house trespass), 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), and section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act 1984 at Crossings Republik police station.
"Under the state govt's integrated township policy, 152 acres of land in Dundahera was allotted in 2006 to Ansal," GDA's media-in-charge Rudresh Shukla told TOI. "Ansal failed to develop the township, including sewage treatment plants, sewer and water lines, internal roads, boundary walls, parks, etc, according to norms. There were many complaints from allottees about lack of development in the township. GDA communicated these to the developer, but it failed to act," added Shukla.
Shukla also alleged the developer made allotments on land meant for EWS and LIG houses on forged documents. "A total of 848 units in the EWS and LIG categories were to be constructed by the developer, but it built only 160 units and sold off the rest of the land using forged documents," said Shukla. The FIR in Lucknow was based on a complaint from Lucknow Development Authority about alleged irregularities in the development of a township along Lucknow-Sultanpur road. The LDA complaint makes similar accusations – of fraudulent land transactions, misappropriation of govt land, and failing to fulfil regulatory obligations. It names Pranav Ansal, his father and real estate tycoon Sushil Ansal, director Sunil Kumar Gupta, and directors Francette Patricia Atkinson and Vinay Kumar Singh.
Ansal API on Wednesday said the allegations were "fabricated" and intended to harass it. Reacting to the FIR filed by GDA, GM Amit Shukla said, "As for the allegation that EWS units were not completed, a written representation was made to GDA on Jan 1, 2025 in which it was said that 592 units under EWS and LIG categories are pending, and the developer is willing to deposit shelter fees according to norms. To date, that has not been considered by GDA." "The allegations made against the group are malicious, fabricated, and intended to harm the reputation of the group. We will fight it out in court, where we will give point-to-point rebuttals of all allegations made against us," Shukla added.
Ansal API has projects in Lucknow, Agra, Noida and Ghaziabad. On Feb 25, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) initiated bankruptcy proceedings against Ansal API and appointed an insolvency resolution professional (IRP) for its projects, including those in Lucknow and Noida. LDA said 2,268 complaints were filed with the UPRera against Ansal API, with outstanding refund claims exceeding Rs 235 crore.