The Manohar lal Khattar Government in Haryana has handed over the case of “illegal” re-allotment of a plot to Associated Journals ltd (AJl) to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
With this, trouble seems to be mounting for former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who had allegedly reallotted a plot to AJl in Panchkula in 2005 during his tenure.
Hooda is already under CBI scanner for alleged irregularities in allotment of 14 industrial plots in Panchkula when he was chairman of HUDA. In May this year, CBI had lodged an FIR naming the then chairman HUDA and 14 beneficiaries of the plots. Raids were also conducted by the CBI at Hooda’s residence in Rohtak and other places in cases related to land allotments.
The decision to hand over the probe to the CBI into the AJl case was taken after receiving the report of Haryana Vigilance Bureau (SVB) which had in May registered a case of cheating and corruption against former Chief Minister and then HUDA chairman Hooda.
Officials of HUDA and office-bearers of AJl — the promoters of 'The National Herald' newspaper — were also charged with illegal re-allotment of the plot to the AJl in 2005. The AJl is also linked to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi.
Confirming the development, Chief Minister Manohar lal on Friday said that the State Government has handed over the AJl case to CBI.
The CBI will soon start probe into the matter, said the Chief Minister while talking to the mediapersons. The plot had been initially allotted to AJl in 1982. After the expiry of the lease period in 1996, then Haryana Vikas Party Government led by Bansi lal took back its possession. When the Congress was voted to power in 2005, the then Chief Minister Hooda, then initiated the process of restoring the plot to AJl.
It has been alleged that Hooda-led Congress regime had bend rules to give 3,360 square metres land in Panchkula’s Sector 6.
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Haryana hands over AJl case to CBI
The resumed plot was allegedly re-alloted to AJl at a price lower than the prevailing market rate, allegedly in contravention of rules.
The prime land was allegedly sold at only about Rs 59 lakh while the price of land was about Rs 22 crore at the time of allotment in the year 2005.
The former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh has already denied the allegations levelled against him and termed such cases as ‘vendetta politics’.
The vigilance bureau had also registered case against four bureaucrats who were in HUDA when the land was realloted to the AJl in 2005.
Meanwhile, Congress has hit out the ruling BJP government for handing over another case to the CBI for probe. Congress MlA Karan Singh Dalal said that this is all a drama and such things are only being done to divert people attention from failure of the State Government.
Already many cases have been filed against us and we will fight in Court, whenever required. The government should focus on development works instead of indulging in such practices, said the Congress senior leader.
ENDS