National Herald case: Hooda govt gave prime Panchkula plot at throwaway price

Chandigarh: Senior Haryana minister Anil Vij on Sunday charged the previous Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress regime with bending rules and giving 3,360 square metres of prime land in Panchkula to Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) ten years ago.

"This is the property of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) now which was given this prime plot in upscale Sector 6 of Panchkula by the previous Hooda government, just six months after it came to power in Haryana in 2005. As this fact has come to light now, we hope the matter will be inquired into as entire National Herald case is before the court," said Haryana Health Minister told reporters at Ambala.

Vij alleged that "it is a serious issue which has come to fore, which shows how rules were bend/ignored by the previous Hooda government, which gave 3,360 square metres of prime plot in Panchkula at throwaway prices".

Vij, the five-time BJP MLA from Ambala Cantt, said another fact which has come to fore is that on August 14, 2014, two months before the Haryana Assembly polls, an Occupation Certificate (OC) was issued for the four-storey building on the plot.

Asked that about reports saying AJL plot was categorised as "government office" and HUDA records showing that it valued the property at Rs 59.3 lakh when it was allotted, Vij said, when Herald case is before courts, "we hope all these facts which have come to light now would be taken cognisance of".

Vij said, according to reports, it has also come to light from the AJL's records that on March 20, 2015, "Bhupinder Singh Hooda's son Deepinder Singh was appointed as Additional Director in the company".

Haryana BJP President Subhash Barala said Panchkula plot issue was also connected with the National Herald case. "Former CM Hooda will have to answer to the public now.

People of Haryana are watching. People did not spare them in elections last year, but in coming years people would question them about their wrongdoings," Barala told reporters in Jhajjar.

Training guns at the Hoodas, INLD MP Dushyant Chautala said Panchkula plot had been virtually given for free by the then Congress government.

"It just goes on to show how they looted Haryana".

When asked to comment on the issue, Rohtak MP Deepinder Singh Hooda told reporters in Rohtak, "let them inquire what they have to...I have nothing more to say".