Violation of laws for land to HPCA will be probed: Virbhadra

The alleged violation of land laws and flouting of terms of lease of land given to Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association by previous BJP government for construction of luxury hotel are being probed, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said in Dharamsala today.
"We would thoroughly probe the matter and make in-depth investigations before taking any decision," Singh told reporters as he started his three-day winter sojourn of lower hills of the state.
He said information regarding various permissions given by the previous government to grant the lease for land to construct luxury hotel 'The Pavilion' was being collected and records scrutinised.
The HPCA is headed by BJYM president and MP Anurag Thakur, who is also son of former chief minister P K Dhumal during whose tenure the lease was granted.

Similarly, the documents pertaining to permission given to eminent lawyer and civil society activist Prashant Bhushan to purchase 4.68 hectare of land in tea gardens for Kumud Prahant Educational Society Trust was also under scanner and relevant revenue and other records were being scrutinised, he said.
Ruling out constitution of Special Investigation Team into alleged phone tapping during the previous Dhumal-led BJP government, Singh said the enquiry would be entrusted to vigilance department.

He denied any initiative on the part of government for out of court settlement with Baba Ramdev for land allotted to Patanjali Yogpeeth at Sadhupul in Solan district.

The government has cancelled the lease and taken over the possession. The Trust has gone to the High Court and government would fight it out in the court, Singh said.
"We will respect the decision of the court and Baba Ramdev should also do the same," Singh said.