The leader of the Opposition and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) on Monday welcomed the setting aside of the land acquisition in Manesar by the Supreme Court (SC).

“The maxim that the wheels of justice grind slowly but surely has come true,” he said while referring to the SC decision on Monday to set aside the August 24, 2007 decision of the Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government to drop the land acquisition proceedings for over 600 acre Manesar land.

“It was a mala fide exercise of power. In our considered view, those decisions were clear case of fraud on power and as such are annulled,” the SC said in its ruling on Manesar land release case.

Manesar land released from acquisition by the Hooda government and on which licenses were given to builders will now vest in HUDA/HSIDC. All licences granted in respect of lands covered by the deemed award of August 26, 2007 will stand transferred to Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) and Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC).

Chautala said INLD had been demanding an inquiry into that scam since long. In this context it had knocked all the possible doors that could have done justice to the farmers. Finally, it had made this case a part of the charge sheet highlighting the misdeeds of Hooda government and former Chief Minister, Hooda.

The leader of the Opposition the SC judgment is a milestone in giving justice to the farmers and significantly it has also referred to its earlier judgment of ‘UddarGagan’ case while averring that the “builders/private entities will not be entitled to recover the consideration paid by them to the land holders”.

He said the SC order has re-enforced the faith of the common man in the judicial system of the country since it has directed the “authorities of the state as well as Central government to reach the depths of such transactions and recover every single pie and make it over to the state government”.

A complete investigation in the transactions including unearthing unnatural gains received by ‘middle man’ shall be undertaken,” Chautala said adding the stand taken by the INLD has been vindicated by this judgment.

He Manohar Lal Khattar government to hasten the process of filing charge sheets in other charges against Hooda government.