Robert Vadra land deal case: Dhingra commission report confirms irregularities during Congress rule

Justice SN Dhingra commission was set up by BJP government in May last year to probe controversial land deals in Haryana.

Delhi: Justice SN Dhingra, probing controversial land deals in Gurgaon, including those of Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra, on Wednesday refused to make the contents of the report public.

However, he hinted that irregularities had been committed, he said, "If there was no irregularity, then I wouldn't have submitted 182-page report."

"My report is in two parts, one part is findings and the other is evidences," he added.

At the same time, he maintained, "I can't talk about contents of the report right now, until government decides to make the content public," adding, "I have brought to light the manner in which irregularities were committed and the people behind it."

"My mandate was to inquire about irregularities in grant of licenses," he further said.

The term of the commission, which was extended on June 30 for eight weeks by the Haryana government amid controversy over its legal validity, ended today.

The one-man commission, set up by the Bharatiya Janata Party government in May last year, was asked to probe controversial land deals in Haryana, including the land deals of Vadra and his firms.

The commission was asked to probe the grant of licenses to Vadra's company and other firms for developing commercial properties in Gurgaon's Sector 83 and some other prime areas.

Meanwhile, reacting to the developments, Congress said, "Even before submission of report, portions were leaked to the media. This proves that the sole intent is to defame, conspire and malign rather than examine the facts fairly."

Addressing the press, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, " BJP government in the Centre and state have run a political agenda of vendetta and revenge for years together, purely to slander and vilify. Constitution of Dhingra Commission was a mere cog in that wheel of malicious witch-hunt, propagated by BJP. Circumstances and facts suggest that Dhingra Commission was unable to appreciate the conspiracy of mud calling without evidence."

He further said, "The naked prejudice in the constitution of Dhingra Commission is apparent from one single fact, various State governments have given a licence for 33,697 acres of land, including over 11000 acres in Gurgaon. The Commission asked to inquire only 16 cases, totalling 63.4 acres. This was done only because Skylight Hospitality, belonging to Mr Vadra, had a licence for a 2.7 acre property in the same. There is till date not a whisper of any wrong-doing, any violation of law, policy, rules or regulation in the license granted."

"Justice Dhingra Commission is a still-born commission. Irrespective of what is in the report, Justice Dhingra has compromised his position as an independent arbiter by accepting favours from the present BJP government of Haryana for his Gopal Singh Charitable Trust. He got a road worth Rs one crore, at the cost of public exchequer in contravention of norms of construction of road. He has also accepted a gift of land for the same trust from a private person in village Jatola in Gurgaon," Surjewala added.

Another Congress leader and former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda​ said, "Haven't seen report, but if it has been leaked then it proves its nothing but witch hunt. No undue favours were given to anyone, we followed proper policies."

On the other hand, Vadra's counsel said, "We have nothing to hide, were always ready to cooperate but Dhingra panel never summoned any official or Mr Vadra."

(With Agency inputs)