NEW DELHI : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday has chargesheet against former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and 34 others in connection with 400-acre alleged irregularities in the reallotment of a Panchkula plot to Associated Journals Limited (AJL).  Among those arraigned is veteran Congress leader Motilal Vora, who was the chairman of AJL.

The central probe agency had registered the case in September 2015 on allegations that private builders in conspiracy with unknown public servants of the then Haryana government had purchased around 400 acres of land from farmers and land owners of village Manesar, Naurangpur and Gurgaon at throwaway prices.
The CBI chargesheet, which also names former UPSC member Chattar Singh, who was a senior officer in the Haryana government at that time, has been filed under IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and cheating, and relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act

The CBI has alleged in its FIR that land measuring about 400 acres, whose market value at that time was above Rs 4 crore per acre, was allegedly purchased by private builders and others from innocent land owners for only about Rs 100 crore in collusion with government officers.

The CBI had said that a loss of Rs 1,500 crore was allegedly caused to the land owners of Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula villages of Gurgaon. The land was allegedly purchased showing the threat of acquisition by the former Hooda government, during August 27, 2004 to August 24, 2007. It is alleged that in this process, initially, the Haryana government had issued a notification under the Land Acquisition Act for acquisition of land measuring about 912 acres for setting up an industrial model township at villages in Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula in Gurgaon.

After the land had allegedly been grabbed from their owners by private builders under the threat of acquisition at meagre rates, the government issued a fresh notification in 2007 and put the land out of the acquisition process, the CBI had said.

“The case is related to alleged reallotment of institutional plot No.C-17 in Sector-6 of Panchkula to AJL. Further investigation is on,” said an official. The reallotment was made in 2005 when Mr. Hooda, being the Chief Minister, chaired the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA).

According to the CBI, the 3,500-sq.m plot was initially allotted to AJL in 1982 under the condition that the construction would start within six months and completed in two years. However, as alleged, the company failed to comply with the rules. The allotment was finally cancelled in 1996 and Mr. Vora filed appeals to reconsider the case. But, they were dismissed. The CBI alleges that after Mr. Hooda came to power, he reallotted the same plot to the company in October 2005, overlooking the rules.

Based on the CBI case, the Enforcement Directorate is also conducting a money laundering probe and has recorded the statements of Mr. Hooda and Mr. Vora.(with Agency Inputs ).