The Punjab and Haryana high court yesterday stayed the recommendation of the Haryana Lokayukta for registration of FIR against five former Haryana legislators involved in alleged change of land use (CLU) case.
The court was hearing petitions filed by former Haryana legislators against whom the Lokayukta had suggested registration of FIR. These five former MLAs are former Health Minister Rao Narender Singh, Chief Parliamentary secretary Vinod Bhayana, Naresh Selwal, Ram Niwas Ghorela and Jarnail Singh.
The petitioners argued that the matter was not inquired into within one year period as stipulated by law and primary evidence, the original device used for the recordings (recorder and later computer hard disc for making CD) were not made available for forensic examination and only secondary evidence, CDs as supplied by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) were put to forensic tests, on which basis the Lokayukta issued the order. It has also been argued that the inquiry officer ADGP
Mr V. Kamraj did not associate the accused persons in the inquiry and when they sought a copy of forensic report, it was not supplied to them.The Lokayukta order also recorded that no money was exchanged in the controversy is another point taken by the counsels of the petitioners.