Huda industrial plot allotments: CBI target beneficiaries, officials, conduct raids in 16 locations

CHANDIGARH: Five months after registration of the case, the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) on Saturday started field action into the alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 Industrial plots of Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda ) in the industrial estate of Panchkula.
CBI sleuths swooped down on 16 locations in New Delhi, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Chandigarh and Rohtak.Except ex-CM Bhupinder Hooda who has been under the scanner, the CBI teams have targeted beneficiaries as well as officials involved in the allotment process.
A CBI spokesman confirmed the raids and said, "Investigations are in progress, and there has been no raid at the residences or offices of ex-CM Bhupinder Hooda.’’
Sources said a DSP-level officer is heading the eight-member team each which includes women cops as well. The raids began at around 8.30 am and are still in progress.
Besides Hooda, prominent among those who were booked in the case included the then chief administrator DSP Nagal, chief controller of finance S C Kansal and Huda official B B Tanega. These officers were booked in addition to the allottees/beneficiaries of the plots including a prominent lawyer, the kin of a retired high court judge and a few advocates.
On December 18, Haryana state vigilance bureau had registered an FIR against former chief minister Bhupender Singh Hooda and three others in the Panchkula Industrial Plot case.
Later, the case was transferred to the CBI for further investigation. For the past five months, the investigating agency has been collecting evidence for further action.
In May last year, the BJP government had ordered a vigilance inquiry into the allotment of industrial plots by the erstwhile Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government at Industrial Estate, Panchkula in December 2011 to allegedly "undeserving candidates".