EXCM Hooda gets bail in Manesar land scam case

PANCHKULA: The special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Tuesday granted bail to former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in connection with the ₹1,500 crore Manesar land scam case, the hearing for which started on Tuesday.

Hooda had failed to turn up for the previous hearing, citing health reasons.

His counsel SPS Parmar told the media that court granted bail after taking two surety bonds of ₹5 lakh each. The next hearing is on May 31.

A battery of senior Congress leaders, including former Haryana Vidhan Sabha speaker Kuldeep Sharma, Karan Dalal, Anand Singh Dangi and Lalit Nagar, were present outside the court complex along with Hooda’s son and Rohtak MP Deepinder Singh Hooda. Former Punjab minister Rana Gurjit Singh, who resigned over allegations of sand mining, was also seen outside court.

This was Hooda’s first appearance after the CBI court summoned him and others in this case, following the charge sheet on February 1.

Hooda’s former principal secretaries Murari Lal Tayal and Chattar Singh and f ormer director of town and country planning department SS Dhillon — all co-accused in the scam — were granted bail following their appearance in last hearing on April 19, even as the CBI opposed their plea.

The then district town planning officer Jaswant Singh too was allowed bail.

Apart from them, Atul Bansal, promoter of Gurgaon-based realty firm, ABW Group, whose companies are named as a major beneficiary of this scam was also granted bail.