CBI raids Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s house in land scam case

The CBI on Saturday conducted a raid at the residence of former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in Rohtak in connection with a case of alleged irregularities in acquiring land in Gurgaon in which farmers are reported to have been duped to the tune of Rs 1,500 crore.

Searches were also carried out at the premises of a former principal secretary, M.L. Tayal, UPSC member Chattar Singh — both former IAS officers — and serving IAS officer S.S. Dhillon. In total, raids were conducted in 20 different locations spread across Delhi, Rohtak, Gurgaon and Panchkula, CBI officials said.

The investigating agency had registered a case last September following allegations that private builders, in a conspiracy with unknown public servants, had purchased around 400 acres from farmers and other landowners in the villages of Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula in Gurgaon district at throwaway prices.

The land was allegedly procured at very cheap rates over a three-year period — between August 27, 2004, and August 24, 2007 — under threats of acquisition by the government. During the process, Haryana government had initially issued a notification under the Land Acquisition Act for attainment of land measuring about 912 acres for setting up an industrial model township at Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula. But following this, the land was allegedly grabbed from farmers and other owners by some private builders under threats of acquisition at throwaway prices, the CBI claimed.

Supposedly, an order was passed by the competent authority, which happened to be the director of industries on August 24, 2007, releasing this land from acquisition process. The land was released in violation of the government policy with a view to favour the builders, their companies and agents, instead of the original landowners.

The investigating agency had stated in the FIR that through this process a total of 400 acres of land, whose market value at that time was roughly above Rs 4 crore per acre, totalling to about Rs 1,600 crore, was allegedly purchased by the private builders from the farmers for just about Rs 100 crore.

It was alleged that a loss of Rs 1,500 crore was caused to the landowners of Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula of Gurgaon.