The CBI filed a charge sheet against former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Congress leader Motilal Vora on Saturday over alleged illegal allotment of land in the state to the Associated Journals Limited linked to the Gandhi family.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that the reallotment of a plot, C-17, in Panchkula has caused a loss of Rs 67 lakh to the exchequer. Nearly two weeks ago, Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya had cleared prosecution of Hooda by state agencies.
The probe agency has charged Hooda, who was also the chairman of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), the then chairman of the AJL, Vora, and the company for criminal conspiracy and under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The AJL is reportedly controlled by senior Congress leaders, including members of the Gandhi family. The group runs the National Herald newspaper.
"I am happy CBI has charge-sheeted Hooda and Motilal Vora today in NH land grabbing case," tweeted senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, who has Swamy filed a case against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for alleged illegalities in the acquisition of AJL by Young Indian Pvt Ltd.
According to the CBI, the AJL was allotted a 3,360 square-metre plot in Panchkula in 1982. HUDA took it back after no construction took place there till 1992. The same land was reallotted to AJL at its original rates in 2005. The reallotment was done in violation of norms by the then HUDA chairman, Hooda, says the charge sheet. Hooda has maintained that no rules were flouted in the process.
Vora termed the charge sheet "dirty politics" and said he will respond in the court in this regard. "As General Elections are slated for next year, the ruling party has started dirty politics to retain power. However, whatever charge sheet is filed against us, we will answer that in the court. Lawfully, we were allotted the land and the money obtained after its re-allotment was deposited back," he told ANI.
Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said: "As polls approach, the government indulges in such acts. Five years are about to get over. They are in power but do they have any evidence. Their (Centre's) only aim is to use such tools as per their convenience during the polls."
Alleged illegalities in allotment
Associated Journals Ltd is reportedly controlled by senior Congress leaders including Gandhis. AJL runs National Herald newspaper
- 1982 Haryana govt allots 3,360 square-metre plot to AJL
- 1996 Land taken back as AJL fails to construct building on it
- 2005 Plot re-allotted to AJL at original rate; Hooda headed state body that gave land to AJL
