Robert Vadra named in Gurugram land deals FIR: Congress claims case aims to divert focus from Rafale, note ban

New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday attacked the Narendra Modi government over the FIR against Robert Vadra and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for alleged irregularities in land deals in Gurugram, saying it was an attempt to divert attention from issues like Rafale agreement and demonetisation. An FIR against Vadra, who is Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law, Hooda and two companies has been registered at the Kherki Daula Police Station in Gurugram, Manesar Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Kumar had said on Saturday. [caption id=“attachment_4257737” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of Randeep Singh Surjewala. News18[/caption] As Assembly elections in four states and next year’s general elections draw near, the “fake news factory and dirty tricks department of Modi government-BJP act maliciously in pursuit of their vicious propaganda”, Congress’ communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said in a statement. He accused the government of serving a new set of “manufactured lies” through “false and fake FIRs against political opponents”. This, Surjewala alleged, was being done to divert attention from the the Rafale deal, the demonetisation “scam”, the Rs 12 lakh crore “loot” through hikes in the prices of petrol and diesel, and the rapidly falling rupee and “failing” economy, among other things. The FIR said Vadra’s company Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd had purchased 3.5 acre of land in Gurugram’s Sector 83 from Onkareshwar Properties for Rs 7.50 crore in 2008, when Hooda was the chief minister and also held the portfolio of the town and county planning department. Later, Skylight Hospitality sold this land to realty major DLF at a price of Rs 58 crore, after procuring a commercial licence to develop the colony with Hooda’s influence, the complainant, Surinder Sharma, alleged. The company thus made a profit of about Rs 50 crore, according to the allegation, which Vadra has trashed in the past. Surjewala said facts showed that Vadra’s Skylight Hospitality purchased 3.5 acres on 28 January, 2008, in the notified commercial zone of Gurugram’s Sikohpur village through a registered sale deed for Rs 7.95 crore, including stamp duties as per the prevailing collector rate. “In accordance with the prevailing government policy for grant of licence, a commercial licence for 2.5 acres was granted on 15 December, 2008. Commercial colony licence charges of Rs 7.43 crore and renewal charges of Rs 73 lakh were also paid. Thus, the total amount paid for purchase of land and statutory charges comes to Rs 16.11 crore,” he said, adding that after nearly five years, Skylight sold this land to DLF for Rs 58 crore on 18 September, 2012. “Even on this amount, Skylight/Mr Vadra paid an additional tax of Rs 8 crore. Thus, a total amount of Rs 24.11 crore was paid in statutory charges/taxes against the receipt of sale price of Rs 58 crore,” Surjewala said. The licence remains valid till date and has not been cancelled on account of violation of any rule or law or policy for grant of licence, he said, adding that the allegations are “false and fabricated”. “The BJP and Khattar government in Haryana are spreading canards against Shri Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Mr Robert Vadra qua a small licence for merely 2.7 acres out of total licences running to over 11,000 acres in Gurugram on account of sheer malafides,” Surjewala alleged.