Haryana Urban Development Authority names former ministers, MLAs in multiple plots scam
CHANDIGARH: The probe into Haryana’s own ‘adarsh scam’ has thrown up names of more influential people who were allotted multiple plots under discretionary quota in areas developed by Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA).
A list of allottees prepared by HUDA has revealed names of former ministers, MLAs and bureaucrats.
According to the list, such allottees had allegedly procured more than one plot in various urban estates of the state in contravention of rules.
A list of 36 such persons was submitted in the Punjab and Haryana high court by HUDA on Thursday. Prominent among those whose names which surfaced on Thursday are former chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi, former Haryana ministers Shanti Rathi, Jagan Nath, Kharaiti Lal, former MP Inder Singh Sheokand and others.
Taking up the list, Justice Daya Chaudhary made it clear that the court would not spare anyone, however prominent, if found guilty in the case.
“It would be their misconception, if they feel that nothing is going to happen in the case,” observed the court. Justice Chaudhary, however, allowed HUDA to give the opportunity of a hearing to those named before registration of FIRs against them.
When the matter came up for hearing on Thursday, counsel for the petitioner Jasjit Singh Bedi submitted that keeping in view of the large number of plots involved, some HUDA officials might be involved in the scam. He also argued that since HUDA was one of the respondents in the case, it couldn’t be expected to conduct fair investigations.
Recording the contentions, the court observed that it would decide on how to complete the process of verifying HUDA records and complete the investigation in a given timeframe.
The court asked all parties to come up with suggestions about possible solution for the issue on the next date of hearing. HC also directed Haryana police to provide requisite security to whistleblower S K Sharma, who had exposed the scam.
The matter had reached the HC after a serving colonel of army, who was booked for fraud, sought a stay on his arrest. Following the intervention of the court, HUDA had recommended registration of an FIR against all those persons who were allotted more than one plot under the reserved quota for defence personnel.
Currently, 402 FIRs have been registered by state police on recommendations of HUDA against those who had got multiple plots.
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