CBI quizzes Hooda, UPSC member in Panchkula land allotment case

The CBI on Monday grilled former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and UPSC member Chattar Singh in connection with alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 industrial plots in Panchkula.

Hooda and Singh, who was principal secretary to the chief minister when the allotments took place, had been called to appear before CBI investigators at the agency’s headquarters.

The case pertains to the CBI FIR to probe corruption in the allotment of 14 industrial plots during Hooda’s tenure as chief minister.

According to the FIR, industrial plots were given to 14 people by allegedly manipulating certain provisions of the allotment. These included allowing them to submit their applications even after the last date of submission had ended.

The 14 people who had been alloted land had submitted their applications on January 24, 2012, whereas the last date of submission was January 6, 2012, the FIR stated.

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Besides Hooda, who as chief minister was chairman of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), others named in the FIR are retired IAS officer D P S Nagal, then HUDA chief administrator, S C Kansal, then controller of finance, and B B Taneja, then deputy superintendent of HUDA.

The FIR also alleged that ineligible beneficiaries were alloted plots at rates lesser than the prevailing market rates, causing losses of several crores to the state exchequer.

It is alleged that the 14 plots, ranging from 496 square metres to 1,280 square metres, were allotted at throwaway prices after changes were made midway in the eligibility criteria.

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All the allottees were allegedly related to politicians, bureaucrats and other influential people, including the then chief minister of the state.