CBI probe sought into Vadra's land deal

A plea has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking a CBI probe into licences granted to several real estate developers, including the one with which Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra's Skylight Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. is associated, for developing colonies in Haryana.

Advocate M.L. Sharma moved the high court, saying several licences were issued to developers and builders for turning 21,366 acres of land into colonies.

In the plea, he contended that allocation of licences for developing colonies was contrary to provisions of the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975.

The plea also sought quashing of the June 3, 2013 letter by Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Shashi Kant Sharma allegedly rolling back the audit and inquiry into the grant of licence to Skylight Hospitality Pvt. Ltd.

The plea contended that the inquiry was ordered by Shashi Kant Sharma's predecessor Vinod Rai.

The petitioner claimed that the Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) issued hundreds of licences for over 21,000 acres of land spread over Gurgaon and other parts of the state from 2005-2012.

"Issuing of colony licences by the DTCP in Haryana in the name of an individual who is not owner of a land is not only illegal but also clear case of corruption within the provision of PC Act 1988. To support or give undue favour is an corruption what has been hatched in the Haryana colony licence deal for Robert Vadra and others," the plea said.

The public interest litigation was filed against the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), CAG, Skylight Hospitality, Robert Vadra, and DLF Universal Limited.

The lawyer sought registration of criminal cases against Vadra and others under the Prevention of Corruption Act and initiation of investigation under the high court's supervision in licences for colonisation issued under the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975 during 2005-2012 including to Skylight Hospitality.