Chandigarh:
The Haryana Government has denied allegations against its Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) in connection with the Robert Vadra-DLF land deal in the light of claims made by whistleblower IAS officer Ashok Khemka. Mr Khemka has alleged that Mr Vadra, a businessman and son-in-law of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, "falsified documents" to execute a series of "sham transactions" for the sale of 3.5 acres of land in Gurgaon to real estate giant DLF for Rs. 58 crore.
"These allegations are wrong and misleading, aimed at sensationalisation of an issue which is non-existent," a Haryana Government release said, quoting a DTCP spokesperson.
In his "voluminous reply" submitted to Haryana government's three-member enquiry committee set up in October last to look into the Vadra-DLF deal, Mr Khemka is understood to have alleged the the businessman's company, Sky Light Hospitality Private Limited, did not make any payment through a Corporation Bank cheque of Rs. 7.5 crore as mentioned in the registration certificate for the land in Shikohpur village of Gurgaon, adjacent to Delhi.
The IAS officer reportedly alleged that the DTCP "ignored rules and regulations to allow crony capitalists operating as middlemen to flourish and appropriate market premium of a license."
"The DTCP aided Vadra in making these sham transactions," he alleged.
Regarding the ownership documents being called as 'sham', the DTCP spokesperson said that for the purpose of grant of license, the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975 requires the Director to enquire into the ownership of the land before grant of any license.
"The allegations have been repeated which have already been gone through in detail by a High Level Committee comprising three Financial Commissioners of the State and they did not find anything wrong in grant of license or renewal thereof. In fact, if one goes through that detailed report, it will be clear that there is not an iota of truth in these allegations," the spokesperson added.