Committee which probed Khemka`s order cancelling Vadra`s land deal gives report

A Haryana govt-appointed committee, that probed the orders of senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka cancelling the sale of over 3 acre of land to DLF in a deal with Robert Vadra submitted its report.

Chandigarh: A Haryana government-appointed committee, that probed the orders of senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka cancelling the sale of over 3 acre of land to realty major DLF in a deal with Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, on Friday submitted its report.

The 3-member committee, headed by Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Krishan Mohan, submitted its report to Haryana Chief Secretary PK Chaudhary here. Chaudhary told PTI that the committee`s report has been received but declined to divulge its contents. "It is being examined," he added. Krishan Mohan was not contactable despite repeated attempts. Khemka, as the then Director General Consolidation of Holdings and Land Records-cum-Inspector General of Registration, had ordered cancellation of the land deals. Khemka had a day after his transfer on October 12 and three days before he actually relinquished charge asked Deputy Commissioners of four districts of Gurgaon, Palwal, Faridabad and Mewat to "inspect all documents registered from 2005 on behalf of Vadra or his companies in the capacity of vendor (seller) and vendee (buyer)." An official probe had earlier concluded that there was no "undervaluation" or loss of revenue to the government in the land deals involving Vadra or his companies. The Deputy Commissioners of the four districts had also reported to the state government that an inspection of all documents registered in their respective districts from January 1, 2005 on behalf of Vadra or his companies, showed there had been no undervaluation in the registration deeds. The companies had paid stamp duty which was found to be much higher than the Collector`s rate duly notified by District Collectors from time to time, the four DCs said in October. On October 16 this year, ruling out any malafide action into the transfer of Khemka following his cancellation of the sale of over three acres of land to DLF following a deal with Robert Vadra, Haryana government had the same day ordered an inquiry "into all the issues raised by Khemka." Announcing the probe, Chief Secretary PK Chaudhary had said on October 16 that "the preliminary facts brought to the notice of the state government by the District Revenue Authority at Gurgaon point out that prima-facie the factual position is different from the stand taken by Khemka." He had said "the state government has nonetheless ordered an inquiry into all the issues raised by Khemka. A 1991-batch IAS officer, Khemka, who had claimed in October that it was his 43rd transfer in 20 years, ordered the mutation of 3.5 acre plot of land in Manesar-Shikohpur that Vadra had sold to DLF for Rs 58 crore. He was posted as Managing Director of Haryana Seeds Development Corporation which was last under an officer 12 years his junior. PTI