CBI seeks sanction to prosecute three ex-town planning officials The central agency had in January 2019 registered a case against former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, an official and 15 real estate developers

CHANDIGARH: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sought sanction from the Haryana government to prosecute three former officials of the town and country planning (TCP) department for their alleged role in facilitating grant of real estate development licenses on land released from the acquisition process in Gurugram.

The officials are former chief town planner JS Redhu, former assistant town planner Satish

Arora and former deputy superintendent Rajbir Singh.

The CBI, which is investigating the case pertaining to release of about 95% of 1,407 acre under acquisition land in Gurugram during the Congress rule in 2009, had in January 2019 registered a case against former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, an official and 15 real estate developers in the matter. The probe was ordered on directions of the Supreme Court.

‘TCP officials made back references to builders’ The three TCP officials have been accused by the CBI of making “back references” to real estate developers who had submitted applications for grant of licenses. The “back references”, sources said, allowed the developers to rectify the deficiencies in the applications.

Haryana advocate general BR Mahajan, from whom the department had sought advice on the issue of grant of sanction, said he has told the department

that sanction to prosecute should be granted.

“If the CBI has found something tangible against these officials during its probe, then there is no reason why the department should not go ahead with the sanction to prosecute. Eventually, it is for the trial court to decide the merits of the findings,” he said.

Though these officials have

retired from the service, as per the amended Prevention of Corruption Act, previous sanction of the state government is required for prosecuting even a retired public servant.

CBI’s status report found satisfactory by apex court

While it is not clear which way the CBI probe has gone so far, the central agency had on August 25 submitted a status report pertaining to the investigations in the Supreme Court. After perusing the status report, the apex court had said no further monitoring (by the SC) is required in this case since the bench is satisfied that substantial investigation has been done.

“We have perused the report filed by the CBI. We are satisfied that the substantial investigation has been done. Let CBI take appropriate steps which may be required in accordance with law in view of its final conclusion. No further monitoring is required in this case,” said a three-member apex court bench.

The apex court on December 2, 2019 had expressed its displeasure over the manner in which the central agency had investigated the case.

Ordering a CBI probe in November 2017, the SC had said the entire purpose of acquisition stood defeated due to illegal release of 95% land.