CBI raids Rohtak home of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda over alleged land scam

The CBI is carrying out raids at 30 location including Rohtak home of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda over alleged land scam. Earlier on January 2, Hooda and senior Congress leader Motilal Vora were granted bail by a CBI court in a case pertaining to alleged illegal re-allotment of land to Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) in Panchkula in 2005. Hooda and Vora were granted bail by CBI judge Jagdeep Singh on furnishing a bail bond of Rs five lakh each, their counsel Abhishek Rana said. The Congress leaders were handed over copies of chargesheet filed against them by the CBI. The next date for hearing in the case has been fixed for February 6, he said.

News Nation has learnt that Hooda is inside his Rohtak home right now. On political front, the former Chief Minister had predicted that the BJP will lose miserably in the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections. He made the prediction just after the disastrous Hindi heartland loss suffered by the ruling party.

"These (Assembly) polls were being treated as the semi-final to 2019 (General Elections). The Congress' performance has been quite impressive in the Hindi heartland states. The results have set the alarm bells ringing for the BJP-led government at the Centre," Hooda had said. "Under the able leadership of Rahul Gandhi, the party is definitely on an upswing across the country. The credit goes to him and Congress workers...the countdown for the NDA government has begun," Hooda said.

The senior Congress leader alleged that the BJP ignored farmers' plight, which was a big issue in the polls. "The government did not bother about the plight of farmers. Small traders were badly hit by GST even as Modi government's decision on demonetisation was widely criticised. Besides, unemployment was also another key issue," Hooda said.

The 71-year-old lawyer-turned politician began his active political career in 1982. Hooda’s grandfather Chaudhary Matu Ram and then his father Chaudhary Ranbir Singh were also politicians. Hooda has been one of the most ardent Nehru-Gandhi loyalist, who openly said that his only aim was to implement the agenda set by Sonia Gandhi. In 2005, Gandhi removed Bhajan Lal to appoint Hooda as the Haryana Chief Minister. Hooda has been open about issuing ‘too many’ licences.  "Haryana has no natural resources but has an admitted advantage because it fringes Delhi on three sides. This benefits the people in bringing them better prices for their land, and the government by attracting investments," he was quoted as saying by an India Today report.