CBI names Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Motilal Vora in AJL land case

New Delhi: The CBI on Saturday filed a chargesheet against former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, senior Congress leader Motilal Vohra and Associated Journals Limited (AJL) in connection with the alleged irregularities in the re-allotment of institution plot in Panchkula in Haryana.

The agency has alleged that the re-allotment of land to AJL caused a loss of Rs 67.65 lakh to the exchequer.

The central agency, which filed the chargesheet in a special CBI court in Panchkula, alleged that the AJL was allotted a plot (C-17, Sector 6) of land in Panchkula in 1982, on which no construction took place till 1992. The agency has charged the then-Haryana chief minister, who was also the Haryana  Urban Development Authority chairman, the then chairman of the AJL, Vora, and the company under the IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy  and the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The HUDA had subsequently taken back the possession of the plot. The chargesheet alleged that the same plot was re-allotted to the AJL at its original rates in 2005 by allegedly violating the laid down norms by the then HUDA chairman Hooda.

The AJL is reportedly controlled by senior Congress leaders. The group runs the National Herald newspaper.

Sources in the agency said during investigation, it was revealed that the then chairman HUDA allegedly overruled the opinion of Legal Remembrancer (Haryana) and the proposal of the officials of HUDA for floating new advertisement for the allotment of the institutional plot at the prevalent current rate on flimsy grounds. “Investigation also revealed that the resumption order dated October 30, 1992, was passed allegedly by HUDA, only after the accused company had been given ample opportunities for completion of construction at the site”, sources said. It was also alleged that the purpose of allotment of the institutional plot for publication of Hindi Daily Newspaper, ‘Nav-Jivan’ from the said premises had not seen the light of the day and the premises were left unused and no newspaper was published from the premises. It was further alleged that the plot was instead mortgaged by the private company to a Delhi-based nationalised bank and the loan availed against the mortgage of the plot was used for commercial purpose, they alleged.