Justice Dhingra rejects Congress allegations as panel deadline extends till 31 Aug

Chandigarh: The Inquiry Commission, which is probing grant of land licences to some firms including that of Robert Vadra in Haryana, was today given an eight-week extension even as its head Justice S N Dhingra rubbished allegations that a Trust run by him was being favoured by the government. [caption id=“attachment_2867078” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Retired Delhi High Court Justice SN Dhingra. Getty Images[/caption] The Haryana government extended the tenure of the Commission till 31 August, a day after Justice Dhingra sought six weeks more just before the deadline was coming to an end, contending that he needed extra time to study additional evidence and documents that have come up before the panel. While the extension was granted, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said questions raised by Congress before submission of report by the probe panel makes one suspect that something is not right. The Haryana Governor extended the tenure of the oe-man Commission upto 31 August on the same terms and conditions andwith the concurrence of state Finance department, an official notification said. The Commission was set up on 14 May, 2015 to probe into grant of land licences to some companies including that of Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, in Gurgaon during the Congress rule in Haryana. Insisting that he is not targeting Vadra, Justice Dhingra rubbished allegations of Congress that a Trust run by him was being favoured by the government. “Anybody is free to make allegations. But he should atleast come forward (and say) what money was given,” he said He said the allegations made against the Justice Gopal Singh Public Charitable Trust in Gurgaon, which he runs, are about a request being made for constructing roads in five villages as the Trust intended to start a Skill Centre for village women and a training centre for youth of the area. “The Centre (run by trust) requested the local administration that these villages should also be provided roads. If the administration has acceded to this request and if you say it is bribe or it is a favour being given to the Trust, I would like to have this favour for all villages of Haryana,” he said. Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala had alleged that “Justice S N Dhingra has sought favours from government of Haryana pertaining to Justice Gopal Singh Public Charitable Trust in Gurgaon, making him incompetent and unsuitable to deliver any verdict or report in the matter.” The Chief Minister, who was in Panchkula, said the Commission was constituted one year ago and at that time the Congress had no issues. Earlier also, the tenure of the Commission was extended and the approval was notified after 10 days, Khattar said, adding “Even then no one raised any issue.” The Commission had sought extension for six weeks, but the government has extended it for two more months, he said. To another question, he said the facts would become clear only after submission of the report. Earlier, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had sought scrapping the Dhingra Commission of Inquiry, arguing that it was “contrary to established rules and norms,without due cabinet approval and prompted by malice and political considerations”. The BJP government in the state had in December last year extended the Commission’s term for a period of six months and on 17 June this year its term had been extended till June 30. “Some more documents were given and I wanted to study them….If some substaintial material is there, I think it is the duty of the Commission to consider them,” he said. Talking about the nature of documents that came before the Commission, he said, they are relating to some sale deeds and transactions.