New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday morning conducted raids at the residences and offices of former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and a sitting UPSC member in connection with the alleged irregularities in the allotment of land in Manesar.


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According to reports, 18 other locations were also raided.


CBI sources said besides Hooda's residence, premises of the then Principal Secretary ML Tayal, UPSC member Chattar Singh, both former IAS officers, and a serving IAS SS Dhillon were also searched by the team.


"In an ongoing investigation, CBI carried out searches at 20 locations in Rohtak, Gurgaon, Panchkula and Delhi in connection with alleged irregularities in the purchase of land from farmers in Gurgaon," CBI spokesperson RK Gaur said.


 


The agency had registered the case last year in September on allegations that private builders in conspiracy with unknown public servants of the Haryana government had purchased around 400 acres of land from farmers and land owners of village Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula, District Gurgaon at throw away prices, showing the threat of acquisition by the government, during the period August 27, 2004, to August 24, 2007.


It is alleged that in this process, initially, the Haryana government had issued a notification under the Land Acquisition Act for acquisition of land measuring about 912 acres for setting up an Industrial Model Township at villages Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula in Gurgaon.


After that, all the land had allegedly been grabbed from the land owners by private builders under the threat of acquisition at meagre rates, the CBI had said after registration of the case.


It is alleged that an order was also passed by the competent authority i.e. the Director of Industries on August 24, 2007, releasing this land from the acquisition process and the land was released in violation of the government policy, in favour of the builders, their companies and agents, instead of the original land owners.


 


The CBI has alleged in its FIR that in the said manner, land measuring about 400 acres whose market value at that time was above Rs 4 crore per acre approximately totalling about Rs 1,600 crore approximately was allegedly purchased by the private builders and others from the innocent land owners for only about Rs 100 crore.


It was alleged that a loss of Rs 1,500 crore was caused to the land owners of village Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula of Gurgaon.


(With PTI inputs)