CBI names Bhupinder Singh Hooda, 33 others in Manesar land scam case

In May 2017, CBI questioned Hooda, who headed the government for 10 years till 2014, in connection with alleged irregularities in the allotment of industrial plots in Panchkula.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed charge-sheet against former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda and 33 others in Panchkula court in connection to a land acquisition scam causing loss of around Rs 1500 crore to farmers of Gurugram. The chargesheet, along with annexures, runs into more than 80,000 pages.

In May 2017, CBI questioned Hooda, who headed the government for 10 years till 2014, in connection with alleged irregularities in the allotment of industrial plots in Panchkula.

The agency had registered the case in September 2015 on allegations that private builders in conspiracy with unknown public servants of the Haryana government had purchased around 400 acres of land from farmers and land owners of village Manesar, Naurangpur and Gurgaon at throwaway prices.

The land was allegedly purchased showing the threat of acquisition by the government, during the period 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 the acquisition of land measuring about 912 acres for setting up an industrial model township at villages in Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula in Gurgaon. After that, all the land had allegedly been grabbed from the landowners by private builders under the threat of acquisition at meagre rates, the CBI had said after registration of the case.

(With agency inputs)