The names of some of the top industrial houses of Punjab and persons associated with a top political functionary in the government have surfaced in a probe being conducted by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged diversion and change of land use of industrial plot scam in Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC).Sleuths of the central agency said it was looking into alleged diversion and change of land use of industrial plots in Ludhiana by real estate developers, including Ritesh Properties and Industries Limited, Hero Cycles, Vardhman Amrante and Nahar Group.These developers are accused of converting industrial plots into residential use, thereby earning windfall profits while causing loss to the state exchequer. No corresponding benefit, the agency noted, was passed on to the end users despite the land having been obtained at concessional rates meant for industrial purposes.The ED is also looking into the transfer of certain PSIEC plots to Nitin Gohal and Bir Devinder, described as close associates of Rajbir Ghuman, an OSD to the Punjab Chief Minister, allegedly in lieu of approvals from the state government.The ED had earlier conducted a search operation on the premises of Gohal in May in a money laundering and land fraud case, when bags of cash were reportedly thrown from his ninth-floor residence.In a statement to The Tribune, AAP said the massive public anger against the “ED Party” (BJP), as witnessed during the Jantar Mantar protest, had rattled Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Instead of addressing the growing public outrage, it has chosen to misuse central agencies and pursue a political vendetta against its opponents.“It has already deployed the ED, CBI and the Income Tax Department against Punjab and CM Bhagwant Singh Mann. Despite repeated investigations, they have failed to find any evidence against him. Having failed to level any credible allegation against the CM, the ED Party (BJP) has now resorted to targeting and maligning people associated with him. This is nothing but a desperate attempt to defame Punjab’s elected government.”The ED probe is being conducted parallel with search operations carried out on Tuesday at 11 premises linked to current and retired officials of the PSIEC and certain property dealers in connection with a money-laundering probe into a multi-crore industrial plot scam.At least 12 high-value properties are under scanner. Among those whose premises were searched are Bhai Sukhdeep Singh, Executive Director of the PSIEC; Surendra Pal Singh, former Chief General Manager; Jaswinder Singh Randhawa, retired General Manager; and Savtej Singh, retired Sub-Divisional Engineer, besides other officials and property dealers.The ED probe was based on an FIR registered by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau in 2024 against some PSIEC officials for allegedly allotting industrial plots in the name of their relatives and friends in connivance with realtors.