A special CBI court at Panchkula on Tuesday granted bail to former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who is facing charges of criminal conspiracy and cheating in the Manesar land case .
"The court has granted him (Mr. Hooda) the bail on two sureties of ₹5 lakh each. The next hearing of the case has been fixed for May 31," said Mr. S.P.S Parmar, counsel representing Mr. Hooda.
Co-accused in the case including the then senior IAS officials Chattar Singh, M.L. Tayal and S.S. Dhillon, who had worked under Mr. Hooda in various capacities, were granted bail in the last hearing on April 19. Mr. Hooda had skipped the last hearing, citing health reasons.
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In February this year, the Central Bureau of Investigation had filed a charge sheet against former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and 33 others in the Manesar land scam case.
The CBI had registered the case in 2015 following allegations that private builders, in conspiracy with some State government officials, had bought about 400 acres of land in and around Manesar at throwaway prices, causing a loss of about ₹1,500 crore to the owners.
The CBI had filed charge-sheet under sections of Indian Penal Code related to criminal conspiracy and cheating, and relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act against Mr. Hooda and other accused.
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