Taking up a petition moved by former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda challenging the constitution and outcome of Justice SN Dhingra Commission, Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday summoned the entire record related to constitution of the Commission.
A division bench of High Court after hearing arguments of Hooda’s counsel and former Union Minister Kapil Sibal, posted the case for next hearing on December 8. Haryana Government has assured the Court that the Commission’s report would not be made public till the next hearing.
The one-man commission headed by Justice SN Dhingra, probing into the controversial land deals involving Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra in Haryana, had pointed out irregularities in grant of licences and land allotment in its report submitted to the State Government in August.
The Commission was set up by the Manohar lal Khattar Government in May 2015 to probe issues pertaining to grant of development licences to companies including Sky light Hospitality owned by Robert Vadra in Gurgaon.
In his 182-page report comprising two volumes submitted to the Chief Minister on August 31, Justice Dhingra is learnt to have made his observations against the procedural irregularities done the then Town and Country Planning officers as well as the then Chief Minister Hooda’s office.
Former Chief Minister Hooda has sought directions to quash Khattar’s order dated May 13 last year for constitution of the Commission and the amended notification setting the terms of reference for the Commission “being malafide and contrary to the provisions and scheme of the Act.”
Hooda has also sought directions to the Haryana Government to produce Commission’s report before the HC in a sealed cover and “not to publish the same in any manner without the specific permission of this court.”
Following Wednesday’s development, political blame game has started over the constitution of the commission.
While INlD termed the Commission as “unconstitutional”, the BJP hits out at the former CM Hooda for approaching the Court.
leader of Opposition and INlD’s senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala alleged that the Commission is “unconstitutional” as neither assembly’s approval or cabinet’s approval was obtained for its formation.
Chautala while talking to the mediapersons said that all this was done by the BJP Government to save Robert Vadra and Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
It is been more than two years since the formation of BJP Government in Haryana but despite their assurances to the people, the government has failed to take any action against those involved in land scams and looted the state, alleged Chautala.
On the other hand, Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala said that Hooda was anxious after the submission of the Dhingra Commission report as his wrongdoings would come out. If the constitution of the Commission was wrong, why did not he approach the Court earlierIJ,” said Barala.
Senior Haryana Minister Anil Vij said that anyone can approach the Court but the wrongdoings of someone cannot be concealed.
Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar had recently said that the report of Justice S N Dhingra Commission will be made public in the next Assembly session.
Former CM Hooda had alleged that the sole intent of this probe by Dhingra Commission was to defame, conspire and malign rather than examine the facts fairly. Even before the submission of report, portions of it were leaked to the media, he had alleged.