Panel report highlights working of bureaucracy: Justice Dhingra

NEW DELHI: Justice S N Dhingra, who headed a commission to probe alleged irregularities in land deals including those linked to Robert Vadra during the previous Congress government in Haryana, said his report is “important and full of facts” and highlights the working of bureaucracy.

Dhingra said the report has not yet come into the public domain. “There is a delay in making public my report but the purpose of my inquiry will not be defeated. Whenever, even after 10 years, the report sees the light of the day it will be relevant as my report is one which speaks about the working of the bureaucracy and how people are harassed.It is an important report full of facts,” he said. However, the retired Delhi High Court judge refused to be drawn into the controversy on the findings of a committee comprising three bureaucrats— Krishna Mohan, K K Jalan and Rajan Gupta—which was set up by the then Bhupinder Singh Hooda government on October 19, 2012 and had given a clean chit on the land deal connected with Vadra.

It was reported that Jalan was the principal secretary, town and country planning department, which had renewed the licence to Vadra in January 2011 and Ashok Khemka, Indian Administrative Service officer, who had found alleged irregularities in the land deals, had then raised objection to his appointment in the committee along with Mohan.

The Central Bureau Investigation is also probing some of the land deals done during the previous Congress regime and the Supreme Court on April 12 while reserving its judgement on a batch of connected matters had said that “the CBI may conclude the pending investigation within a period of four months.”

The Haryana government in April had also filed Justice Dhingra commission’s report in a sealed cover in the apex court pursuant to its April 12 order. The report was filed after a senior advocate, assisting it as an impartial adviser to the court, had “pointed out that it has not been published on account of a statement made on behalf of the Haryana government in some proceedings pending in the High Court (Punjab and Haryana).” The top court had noted that the report of the Justice Dhingra Committee “will have bearing on present proceedings.” When the issue relating to land deals had reached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Khemka had reportedly alleged that the then state government was misleading the court.

Justice Dhingra told PTI that his probe was independent and he was not concerned with the committee’s report which had held as “administratively improper” the October 15, 2012 order of Khemka, who as the then director general, consolidation of holdings and land reforms-cum-inspector general of registration (DGCH), had cancelled land deal in Sikhopur village which was in favour of Vadra’s company Skylight hospitality. The committee of bureaucrats, who were allegedly close to Hooda, had justified the land deal concerned by interpreting the provisions of the Consolidation Act 1948. Hooda had filed a petition in November 2016 in the high court challenging the very constitution of the Dhingra panel.

Whenever, even after 10 years, the report sees the light of the day, it will be relevant as it speaks about the working of the bureaucracy.