CHANDIGARH: Robert Vadra's murky land deals in Haryana have come back to haunt him. A probe by two senior officers of the Haryana government has found that his company Skylight Hospitality owned land way beyond the prescribed limit in the state at a time when he got the licence for the controversial land in Shikhopur in Gurgaon.
Haryana's director, land records and consolidation of holdings (DLR) and the additional chief secretary (revenue) have told the government that Vadra's company owned 79 acres in the state in 2008. The Haryana Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, 1972 states that total physical holding of a person or family cannot exceed 53.8 acres.
The state revenue department has sought permission from Manohar Lal Khattar's BJP government to take action against Vadra for failing to declare surplus land. The reports of both the officers are combined and are lying in the office of state revenue minister Capt Abhimanyu since December 17. If the recommendations are accepted, action against Vadra can be initiated for violating of laws, which invite a sentence of up to two years in jail.
The report makes clear the web of complex land deals that Vadra made in Haryana over the years. It states that on January 9, 2008, his cumulative land holdings in Haryana had reached 56.75 acres, already beyond the permissible limit.
By December 7, 2009, he owned a massive 146.755 acres. While some of this land was owned by Vadra directly, others were registered in the name of his companies. Records with the government show that he owned 99% of the shares in most companies.
On the day he got commercial licence for the controversial Shikhopur land in Gurgaon in 2008, he owned 79.06124 acres. This land was later sold to DLF for Rs 58 crore at a hefty premium, creating a major political row just before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
Vadra had later sold off 82.2 acres of the land holdings to different parties between February 17, 2010 and September 27, 2012.
Information sources from the revenue minister's office say the state government has also been advised to reconsider the findings of the three-member panel that had given a clean chit to Vadra and indicted the senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka in December 2012.
The detailed report has also held that the three-member committee members, headed by senior IAS officer Krishan Mohan, should be asked to clarify as to why they gave a clean chit, ignoring the important facts of surplus land.
The report has been prepared by the revenue department after receiving details from deputy commissioners of Gurgaon, Faridabad, Mewat and Palwal, where Vadra owned land. It also gives information from the Union ministry of corporate affairs on Vadra's share in various companies.
Indicting the department of town and country planning (DTCP), the report has held that the "company ought not to have been issued LOI/colony licence on the said land".
When contacted, Suprabha Dahiya, DLR said, "I cannot tell you anything. Please talk to senior officers." Dalip Singh, ACS (revenue), refused to share any details on the issue and said, "I have no comments to make".
Capt Abhimanyu said he was busy with official engagements and had not seen the detailed findings of the officials.
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