Robert Vadra. file | Photo Credit: PTI
The Haryana government has told the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh that no violation of rules or regulations was found in the transfer of land by businessman Robert Vadra’s Skylight Hospitality to DLF.
The probe was linked to an FIR registered in Gurugram in September 2018 against former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Mr Vadra, son-in-law of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, and some others.
In an affidavit filed before the court on Wednesday, the government said, “It was stated by Tehsildar, Manesar, Gurugram that M/s Skylight Hospitality sold 3.5 acres of land to M/s DLF Universal Limited on September 18, 2012, and the said transaction was not regulations/rules have been violated.”
However, the Haryana Police is examining the records of financial transactions that took place during the said deal. “A fresh SIT has been constituted on 22.03.2023, consisting of DCP, two ACPs, one Inspector and one ASI, for further investigation,” the affidavit said.
The BJP had alleged irregularities in land deals during the then Congress rule in Haryana and it became a major election issue during the 2014 elections.
The affidavit states that a FIR lodged against Mr. Hooda and some other accused persons under various provisions of IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act in September 2018 at Police Station Kherki Daula, Gurugram.
The FIR was registered on the complaint of Surinder Sharma, a resident of Nuh, alleging irregularities in land deals. The Congress Party, Mr. Hooda and Mr. Vadra have always denied any wrongdoing.
“As per the report received from Tehsildar, Wazirabad, Gurugram, it was categorically stated that the land in question has not been found in the name of M/s DLF Universal Limited and the said land is still existing in the name of HSVP/HSIIDC, Haryana. In the affidavit Having said.
The complainant in the September 2018 FIR had then also alleged that 350 acres of land was allotted to DLF in Gurugram’s Wazirabad in violation of rules.
The affidavit was submitted before the court by Dr. Raj Shree Singh, Inspector General of Police (Crime), Gurugram, which also states that the SIT is yet to record statements of some stakeholders, while some records or clarifications are yet to be received from various Are. Banks and some government departments involved in the case.
The affidavit was placed before the court in connection with the ongoing “sown motion” public interest litigation to monitor the progress of cases against sitting and former MPs and MLAs.
IAS officer Ashok Khemka had in 2012 canceled the mutation of a 3.5-acre land deal between Skylight Hospitality and DLF at Manesar-Shikohpur in Gurugram district. Mutation is part of the process of transferring the ownership of a piece of land.
The mutation was canceled by Shri Khemka on the ground that the Assistant Consolidation Officer, who had sanctioned it, was not competent to do so.