Haryana Governor gives sanction to prosecute Hooda in AJL case

Chandigarh: Haryana Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya on Thursday approved prosecution of Congress leader and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in the Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) case on illegal re-allotment of land to the promoters of The National Herald newspaper.

The state vigilance bureau in May 2016 had registered the case against Hooda for cheating and corruption in the allotment of land to the AJL in Panchkula city near here.

HUDA officials and office-bearers of AJL were also charged with illegal re-allotment of the plot in 2005. The two-time Chief Minister described the Governor’s approval as politically motivated. He said the decision to allot the plot to the AJL was taken by the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) and not by a single individual.

The AJL is linked to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and President Rahul Gandhi as The National Herald newspaper is the legacy of the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Leader of Opposition in the Haryana Assembly Abhay Singh Chautala had, in a letter to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, demanded registration of a criminal case against the AJL and Hooda in the case. (IANS)

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