CBI to investigate 2009 Gurugram land acquisition case

NewsBharati    02-Nov-2017
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New Delhi, November 2: Bhupinder Singh Hooda government of Haryana which is suspected of foul play in the acquisition of 1,400 acres of land in Gurugram has got another major setback as Supreme Court ordered a CBI probe for the case. CBI has to complete the probe within six months and to submit the report. The then Congress government is alleged to help builders and colonizers at the cost of farmers and landowners in 2009. Haryana government under Manohar Lal Khattar government informed that it no objection to the matter being probed by the CBI.

Initially, notice was issued for acquisition of 1,400 acres of land but then it was told only 87 acres was required for infrastructure development projects. Colonizers and builders including various entities got the land. In January 2014 the Punjab and Haryana High Court had put down the notification under which it was acquired based on a petition filed by some villagers.

The high court had said: "The petitioners appear to be right in contending that since they did not come under the pressure tactics of the land mafia prowling in the area, their land has been usurped (through acquisition) out of vengeance."

A Bench of Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Mohan M Shantanagoudar termed it a "colorable exercise of power.“Courts cannot be oblivious to the fact that the 1,400-acre land was initially meant to be acquired for development by HUDA and it was finally reduced to 87 acres only for which the award was passed,” the apex court observed.