Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal on Tuesday ordered a vigilance inquiry to look into the allotment of 11 industrial plots by previous Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led State Government in Industrial Estate, Panchkula in December 2011 to the alleged undeserving candidates. These plots worth millions of rupees in the market, ranging from 496 square metres to 1,280 square metres were allegedly allotted to the candidates who were either relatives of the then Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda or his close associates and friends.
An official spokesperson of the State Government said, “The allottees were undeserving candidates. The allotment has also been challenged in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.” The issue was raised during the Budget Session of Haryana Assembly in the month of March. State Industries Minister Capt Abhimanyu had in the Assembly said that transparency in the allotment was not adopted and plots were allotted to the former Chief Minister’s close officials and others. A total of 582 applications were received for HUDA plots and HUDA had fixed rates of Rs6,400 per square feet, but its collector rate is three times more. Capt Abhimayu had said.
The BJP-led Haryana Government had also received several complaints drawing its attention towards irregularities committed in allotment of industrial plots, including the charge-sheet submitted by Indian National lok Dal to the Governor. The beneficiaries included Renu Hooda, wife of Hooda’s nephew; Nandita Hooda, wife of another relative and former senior additional advocate general; Mona Beri, the daughter-in-law of Hooda’s former OSD BR Beri; Pardeep Kumar, son of Singh Ram, former secretary to Hooda; Kanwar Preet Singh Sandhu, relative of Kurukshetra University Vice Chancellor DDS Sandhu; Dagar Katyal, son of a former senior deputy advocate general; Ganesh Dutt Ratan, a close friend of Hooda; Aman Gupta, son of ex-legislator Ramesh Gupta; O P Dahiya, a retired army officer related to a former Congress legislator; M/s YPT Entertainment House Pvt ltd, whose owner enjoyed close proximity to Hooda and Manjot Kaur, wife of former additional advocate general Prabhjeet Singh and daughter-in-law of Punjab and Haryana High Court judge, Justice MS Sullar.