The Central Bureau of Investigation on Saturday conducted searches on the premises of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his associates in connection with alleged irregularities in the acquisition of land in Gurgaon district.
“Searches are being carried out at 20 places in Rohtak, Gurgaon, Chandigarh and Delhi. The premises of Mr. Hooda, his two former personal secretaries and a serving Indian Administrative Service official are being searched by different teams. Some private companies are also under scanner,” said a CBI official.
In September last year, the CBI had taken over the investigations into alleged swindling of about Rs.1,500 crore by private companies and their associates in acquiring 400 acres of prime land in Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula in Gurgaon, in conspiracy with unknown government officials.
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The land in question was acquired by the builders in Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula in the Gurgaon district. The land worth Rs.1,600 crore was purchased for just Rs.100 crore, it is alleged.
"The Haryana government led by Mr. Hooda had issued a notification under the Land Acquisition Act for acquisition of land measuring about 912 acres for setting up of an Industrial Model Township in these villages,” said the official.
Fearing acquisition by the then State government, Gurgaon farmers and villagers allegedly sold off large tracts of land to the accused builders at throwaway prices during 2004-07 and suffered huge losses.
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In order to facilitate the acquisition by private builders, it is alleged, an order was later passed by the Director of Industries on August 24, 2007, releasing the land in question from the government’s acquisition process.
After the BJP came to power in Haryana, the State police had registered a case to probe the allegations. “On the State government’s request, the agency then took over the case last year,” said the official.