CBI raids Hooda’s residence regarding Manesar land acquisition case

Rohtak: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on Saturday, carried out raids on 20 properties of the former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda regarding a case of land acquisition in Gurgaon.

The searches were conducted at the two residences of the former CM along with a sitting UPSC member and 18 other locations. The raids were carried out in a case of alleged irregularities in acquisition of land in Gurgaon in which farmers were cheated of Rs. 1,500 crore.

What CBI said:

• According to the CBI sources, “besides Hooda's residence, premises of the then Principal Secretary M L Tayal, UPSC member Chattar Singh, both former IAS officers, and a serving IAS SS Dhillon were also searched by the team.”
• "In an ongoing investigation, CBI carried out searches at 20 locations in Rohtak, Gurgaon, Panchkula and Delhi in connection with alleged irregularities in the purchase of land from farmers in Gurgaon," CBI Spokesperson RK Gaur said.

The case:

• The CBI had registered a case of private builders and unknown public servants, conspiring against farmers, hadpurchased around 400 acres of land from them and land owners of Village Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula district of Gurgaon at throw away prices. The farmers had alleged that they were shown the threat of acquisition by the government.
• “It was alleged that the process that took place during the period of August 27, 2004 to August 24, 2007, the Haryana Government had issued a notification under the Land Acquisition Act for acquisition of land measuring about 912 acres for setting up an Industrial Model Township at Villages Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula in Gurgaon but all the land had been grabbed from the owners, threatening them of acquisition, at meagre rates,” CBI had stated after registering the case.
• According to the investigative agency, a loss of Rs 1,500 crore was caused to the land owners of village Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula of Gurgaon due to this conspiracy.