CBI files FIR against Godrej Properties; company denies wrongdoing

New Delhi

Godrej Properties has expressed surprise over the CBI’s FIR against the company regarding alleged environmental violations in its completed Chandigarh project. The company assured that it would take necessary steps to protect its customers’ interests.

The CBI registered the FIR against Berkeley Realtech Ltd and Godrej Estate Developers, citing violations of wildlife laws. The investigation stems from a 2023 complaint by an undersecretary at Punjab Raj Bhawan. The authorities claim that Godrej Eternia and Berkeley Square projects fall within 10 km of the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary and City Bird Sanctuary, violating environmental regulations.

A Godrej Properties spokesperson stated that the company had already challenged similar notices in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. They emphasized that the Supreme Court had not imposed a blanket 10 km eco-sensitive zone and that the Chandigarh administration’s 2017 notification set the limit at a maximum of 2.75 km. The company claims its project is 6.6 km away from the sanctuary.

Godrej Properties insists it adhered to all project approvals and was not required to obtain clearance from the National Board of Wildlife. The company is now consulting legal experts and plans to take appropriate steps to address the issue.

Godrej Properties is a major real estate firm with a strong presence in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru.