Haryana files case in industrial plot allotments; Hooda in the dock

Haryana Vigilance Bureau has registered a case against former top functionaries of the state's urban development authority, including its former chairman, in the multi-crore industrial plot allotment scam in the state's Panchkula district, sources said on Saturday.

The chairman of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) in 2011 when the controversial allotments were made, was Congress chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The case has also been registered against former HUDA chief administrator D.P.S. Nagal and other officers.

However, the FIR (first information report) does not name Hooda personally and only mentions "Chairman-HUDA".

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said in Karnal town on Saturday said that his government had decided to hand over probe into the controversial allotments to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

He said that Haryana's advocate general had recommended that the matter should be investigated by an independent investigating agency.

The vigilance bureau has been directed by the Khattar government in May this year to probe the allotments made to alleged "undeserving candidates" during the tenure of the Hooda government.

The allotments, of industrial plots ranging from 496 square metres to 1,280 square metres, were made to people who were related to the then chief minister, his ministers and his close aides.

The opinion of the advocate general office said that the eligibility criteria for allotment of the industrial plots was changed during the tenure of the then (Hooda) government to benefit certain individuals.

The Hooda government (2005-2014) is facing allegations of scams in change of land use (CLU) licences, allotment of industrial and other plots and other land deals during its tenure.