Panel to probe grant of licenses to Vadra and others begins

The commission probing the grant of licenses to entities in Sector 83 of Gurgaon today said its mandate was to probe whether their was any revenue loss during the transactions and all the deals will be looked into including those involving Robert Vadra.
"The investigation for licences issued for commercial and residential purpose during Bhupinder Singh Hooda regime (2005 to 2014) in Sector 83 in Gurgaon will be over within time frame of six months," said Delhi High Court Judge (retired) Shiv Narayan Dhingra.
Speaking to PTI here in Gurgaon during his first sitting today, Judge Dhingra said that an audio system has been installed in the office so that every witness's statement can be recorded digitally and, if he demands, the copy of the recording would be handed over to him.

Beside, a written statement would also be taken.
He said that three villages -- Sihi, Sikanderpur Bada and Sikhopur-- fall in Sector 83 and all residential and commercial licences issued during the last regime would be thoroughly investigated by him.
When asked to comment on the deals of Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra in the area, he clarified that he was asked to investigate all the licences issued in Sector 83 and not to confine only to Vadra's deals.

"I would investigate licences of Robert Vadra if these were granted to him in Sector 83," said Dhingra.
"My mandate is to investigate whether revenue loss was committed and whether all formalities and procedures were completed or not while issuing the licenses in Sector 83," the Judge said.

The Commission would also probe subsequent transfers and disposals of the licences to third parties.
The judge further said that presently he is studying the files related to Town and Country Planning department to understand the procedures and formalities for the licenses.
The Commission would issue a public notice and invite people at large to present themselves before the commission and give their statements if they desire, related to the licences issued in Sector 83, added the judge.
The permanent office of the commission is located in Haryana Bhawan in Delhi while the office in Gurgaon has been set up for hearing witnesses and other works, he said.

He has visited Sector 83 to evaluate the commercial values of the licences, said Dhingra. A joint commissioner of police Saurabh Singh is attached to the inquiry commission.