ED files prosecution plaint against Ex-Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda in Panchkula plots scam

New Delhi: The sleuths of Directorate of Enforcement (ED) have filed a prosecution complaint against then Chief Minister of Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda in connection with Panchkula Industrial Plot Allotment Scam. The case involves allocation of 14 Industrial plots worth Rs. 30.34 Crore to the acquaintances of the Ex Chief Minister.

The Enforcement Directorate began investigation based on an FIR filed by State Vigilance Bureau, Haryana, which was later transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

An extensive investigation since 2013 revealed that Bhupinder Singh Hooda, ex-officio Chairman, HUDA, 4 retired IAS officers and other office bearers of HUDA, Panchkula, Haryana illegally benefited pre-selected acquaintances of the then CM by allotting them 14 Industrial Plots denying allotment to more worthy applicants.

Apart from Bhupinder Singh Hooda, 4 retired IAS officers namely, Dharam Pal Singh Nagal (the then Chief Administrator, HUDA), Surjit Singh (the then Administrator, HUDA), Subhash Chandra Kansal (the then Chief Controller of Finance, HUDA), Narinder Kumar Solanki (the then Zonal Administrator, Faridabad Zone, HUDA) and other HUDA official Bharat Bhushan Taneja (the then Superintendent, HUDA) and all the 14 allottees and beneficiaries of the Industrial Plots Allocation case have been involved in the commission of the offence of Money Laundering.

In this regard a prosecution complaint has been filed against 22 accused. "The price fixed for the allotment were kept 4-5 times below circle rate and 7-8 times market rate. The criteria for allotment was altered 18 days after the last date of application and when all the applicant data was in possession of HUDA. Criteria was altered in such a way to favour the pre – selected applicants by increasing the discretion at the hands of the interview committee. The entire interview process was vitiated and compromised as no formal record of marks allocation was kept worthy applicants were driven out of merit and applicants who were closely connected to Bhupender Singh Hooda, in terms of his personal capacity and also in terms of the political party he belongs to, were allotted these plots" ED officials said.

In this regard the ED has filed prosecution complaints against the 22 accused. While the 14 plots have been attached.