Defence seeks more time to scrutinise challan
PANCHKULA:FORMER Haryana chief minister (CM) Bhupinder Singh Hooda and senior Congress leader Motilal Vora on Wednesday appeared before the CBI court here in the land re-allotment case of Associated Journals Limited (AJL). On January 3, the court of special CBI judge Jagdeep Singh had granted bail to Hooda and Vora in the case.
During the resumed hearing on Wednesday, senior advocate RS Cheema, counsel for Hooda asked for more time to scrutinise the challan documents, by submitting that the challan documents were bulky.
The counsel further pointed out that prima facie scrutiny of challan documents has revealed that there are many documents missing from the copies supplied by prosecution and accordingly they intend to move appropriate application in this regard, reads the order.
“In view of the same, the case stands adjourned till March 5, 2019, for scrutiny of copy of challan documents as well as for arguments on the point of charge,” the court ordered.
Besides, Vora also moved an application seeking permanent exemption from personal appearance on which a reply would be filed on the next date of hearing.
The CBI had filed a chargsheet against Hooda, Vora and Associated Journals Limited on December 1, 2018, under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 13(I)(d), read with 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Hooda, the then chief minister, was the chairman of the Haryana Urban Development Authority at the time of plot re-allotment while Vohra was then chairman of the AJL. In a statement, the CBI had said the former CM, in cahoots with others, had allegedly abused his official position and dishonestly restored the institutional plot to AJL at old rates, thereby, causing wrongful gain of ₹67.65 lakh to the AJL and loss to the state exchequer.
The CBI said Plot C-17 in Sector 6, Panchkula, was alloted on August 24, 1982, for publication of a Hindi newspaper, Navjivan. The plot measuring around 3,360 square metres, was re-allotted to AJL on June 29, 2005.
VORA ALSO MOVED AN APPLICATION SEEKING PERMANENT EXEMPTION FROM PERSONAL APPEARANCE; REPLY TO BE FILED ON NEXT DATE OF HEARING ON MARCH 5