Vigilance probe ordered in Hooda's plot largesse

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday ordered a vigilance inquiry into the allotment of 11 industrial plots by the previous Congress government in the state led by Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The industrial plots, worth millions of rupees in the market, were allotted to close aides of Hooda in violation of rules in Industrial Estate, Panchkula, in December 2011.

"The allottees were undeserving candidates. These plots, ranging from 496 square metres to 1,280 square metres, were allegedly allotted to the candidates who were either relatives of the then chief minister or those of his close associates and friends," a Haryana government spokesman said here.

The vigilance probe will investigate the allegations regarding the allotment. The allotment has also been challenged in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The beneficiaries included Renu Hooda, wife of Hooda's nephew; Nandita Hooda, wife of another relative and former senior additional advocate general; Mona Beri, the daughter-in-law of Hooda's former OSD B.R. Beri; Pardeep Kumar, son of Singh Ram, former secretary to Hooda; Kanwar Preet Singh Sandhu, relative of Kurukshetra University Vice Chancellor D.D.S. Sandhu; Dagar Katyal, son of a former senior deputy advocate general; Ganesh Dutt Ratan, a close friend of Hooda; Aman Gupta, son of ex-legislator Ramesh Gupta; O. P. Dahiya, a retired army officer related to a former Congress legislator; M/s YPT Entertainment House Pvt. Ltd., whose owner enjoyed close proximity to Hooda; and Manjot Kaur, wife of former additional advocate general Prabhjeet Singh and daughter-in-law of Punjab and Haryana High Court judge, Justice M. S. Sullar.