cbi-files-chargesheet-against-hooda-in-plot-allotment-case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in the Panchkula industrial estate land allotment case.

 

According to the chargesheet, the investigating agency has invoked charges of criminal conspiracy and cheating (Section 120-B read with Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code), along with criminal misconduct by a public servant under the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act (Section 13(2) read with Sections 13(1) (c) and 13(1) (d)), alleging fraudulent misappropriation and obtaining pecuniary advantage for self or others.

 

The special court on Tuesday confirmed that it had received a prosecution sanction against Hooda and then Deputy Superintendent of Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), BB Taneja.

 

Besides, a prosecution sanction under Section 197 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) against retired IAS officer DPS Nagal, the then Chief Administrator of HUDA, has also been received.

 

The inquiry was ordered after the Punjab and Haryana High Court received a writ petition titled SK Jain vs State of Haryana, filed in 2014, challenging the allotment of industrial plots in the Panchkula estate.

 

After a preliminary investigation flagged serious violations in 2015, the case was transferred to the CBI, which registered its FIR on May 19, 2016.

 

Furthermore, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also registered an ECIR and filed a chargesheet on February 15, 2021, against Hooda and others.

 

Though the special court in 2024 paused proceedings until the ED submitted its final report, the same was filed this year, and the case is now expected to resume once again.

 

Hooda, as Chief Minister, was the chairman of HUDA at the time of the allotment process.

 

According to the ED, applications for 14 industrial plots were invited between December 7, 2011 and January 6, 2012. It also alleged that HUDA had changed the criteria after the deadline had passed.

 

For example, the weightage for experience, qualification, and financial capability was reduced, while marks for viva voce were increased for allotment of the plots at the said location.

 

The plots, which were supposed to be allotted at a price of Rs 30.34 crore, were eventually allotted at Rs 7.85 crore, causing a significant loss to the exchequer.