The Congress on Wednesday accused the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) of running a “political agenda of vendetta and revenge” and said that the Justice SN Dhingra commission, which was probing alleged irregularities in land deals involving Robert Vadra, was a mere “cog in the wheel of malicious witch-hunt by the BJP”.
The one-man Justice Dhingra Commission of Inquiry set up by the Haryana government today submitted the report to the Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar at the Secretariat in Chandigarh.
According to sources, the commission has indicted the then office of the Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for being in the know of grant of licences for change in land use (CLU) in four villages of Gurgaon, including the licence granted to Sky Light Hospitality Private Limited, a company owned by Congreee President Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra.
Reacting to the reports, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “Even before submission of report, portions were leaked to the press and aired in many media channels. This shows the mal-intent and sinister conspiracy of the Government of Haryana, of BJP and even the Commission itself. This even proves that the sole intent is to defame, conspire and malign rather than examine the facts fairly.”
“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 the BJP,” Surjewala said.
Alleging that the commission violated the basic doctrine of natural justice by not hearing the side of Robert Vadra, Surjewala said that neither Vadra nor any officer of Skylight nor BS Hooda were served any kind of notice by the commission to present their case.
Surjewala further said that Justice Dhingra has compromised his position as an independent arbiter by accepting favours from the present BJP government in Haryana.
He alleged that Justice Dhingra had asked for a road to be built connecting a school being constructed by his Gopal Singh Charitable Trust.
“He got a road worth Rs 1 crore, at the cost of public exchequer in contravention of norms of construction of road,” the Congress spokesperson said.
Former CM Hooda also alleged the commission to be a witch-hunt. “I haven’t seen the report, but if it has been leaked then it proves its nothing but witch-hunt,” he said.
He denied extending any undue favours to Vadra and said that his government followed proper policies and did not give undue favours to anyone.
The single-member Commission of Justice Dhingra was set up in May 2015 by the Khattar government and had already been given three extensions.
It 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.
“My mandate was to inquire about irregularities in grant of licenses. I have brought to light the manner in which irregularities were committed and people behind it,” he said today after submitting his report.
The retired Delhi High Court judge said that his report was in two parts - findings and evidences.
When asked if he has found any irregularity during the probe, Justice Dhingra said, “If there was no irregularity, then I wouldn't have submitted a 182 page report.”
