Punjab & Haryana HC sets aside criminal charges against AJL, Bhupinder Singh Hooda in Panchkula land re-allotment case

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday set aside criminal charges against Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in a case related to the alleged irregularities in re-allotment of a land to the company in Panchkula.

The AJL is co-owned by Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, and Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

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The high court held that Hooda’s 2005 decision to re-allot an institutional plot originally alloted to AJL in 1982 for National Herald office was unanimously ratified by the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) ex-post facto in 2006.

The court stated that the allotment is valid as on date and has not been cancelled, nor declared illegal or arbitrary.

“Instead, the AJL after payment of re-allotment price as well as the extension fee has raised construction, and has been given occupation certificate by the Authority on 14.08.2014,” the high court noted.

It further stated, “No grievance has been raised regarding any loss to the Authority; nor has the AJL or any other accused been called upon to make good any perceived harm. Even the Government auditors have dropped their objection regarding financial loss to the Authority on account of this re-allotment,” the Court said.

In 2016, the Haryana Vigilance Bureau had filed the case, which was later handed over to the CBI by the BJP government.

The CBI had alleged that the plot was re-allotted to AJL in 2005 at the rates of 1982.