INLD cries foul over sale of land to Jindal family

Chandigarh, May 9 (UNI) Protesting against the ''brazen'' move of the Haryana government to give a 20-acre plot in Hisar to the Jindal family at a very cheap rate, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) today urged the state Governor to get the deal cancelled and order a high-level probe into the matter.

''The Jindal family, belonging to Haryana Local Bodies Minister Savitri Jindal and Congress MP Naveen Jindal, got on a platter the precious land for a mere Rs 4.05 crore even as it was worth over 500 crore,'' the INLD alleged in a memorandum submitted to Governor A R Kidwai.

Talking to mediapersons INLD leaders Ajay Singh Chautala and Sampat Singh said the party delegation brought to the notice of the Governor that the land was part of the 47 acre plot acquired for the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board (HSAMB) for setting up vegetable, fodder, egg and fish market. But it was later declared surplus to be ''gifted'' to the Jindal family in a ''sham'' auction supposedly to set up a school.

They alleged that only four bidders were there in the auction held on April 30 and all of them happened to be from the Jindal family-- Jindal Education and Welfare Society, Raigarh, N.C.

Jindal Charitable Trust, O P Jindal Charitable Trust and Vidya Devi Jindal Rural Development Trust.

The prime commercial land earmarked for a project that had great bearing on the welfare of the farmers of the state was sold by ''fraudulant means'' for a sum of mere Rs 4.05 crore, they alleged.

The INLD demanded cancellation of the deal and a high level probe into the matter.

The Governor, they said, assured them that he would personally look into the matter.

UNI