AMN

The CBI today questioned former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for the first time in connection with the land allotment case.

The investigative agency is probing the alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 industrial plots at Panchkula by Haryana Urban Development Authority(HUDA). Mr Hooda was the chairman of HUDA at the time of allotment.

The agency registered the case against him, an IAS officer and two other HUDA officials last year. CBI spokesperson R K Gaur told PTI that Mr Hooda is being examined.

UPSC member and former Haryana principal secretary, Chattar Singh was also questioned by the agency recently. It is alleged that the orders for the allotment were issued from the Chief Minister’s office.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had in December 2015 ordered the State Vigilance Bureau to register an FIR in the case and the the matter then be reffered to the CBI.

According to the FIR, ineligible beneficiaries were alloted plots at rates lesser than the prevailing market rates, causing loss of several crores to the state exchequer.