HC paves way for resumption of trial against Haryana ex-CM Bhupinder Hooda

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today dismissed petitions challenging the trial proceedings in the Manesar land case. The decision paves way for the resumption of the trial against Bhupinder Singh Hooda, a former CM, and senior bureaucrats who served in his office.

The stay on trial, in effect since December 2020 following petitions filed by some former bureaucrats and builders, also stands vacated, with Justice Manjari Nehru Kaul dismissing the petitions. The copy of the detailed judgment is not yet available.

The CBI, which is prosecuting the case, had moved the high court, seeking vacation of the stay imposed on the trial. Hooda had not approached the court, but the stay granted in the matter had benefited his case.

In its chargesheet filed in February 2018, the CBI had named Hooda, along with 33 others, including three former bureaucrats who served as his Principal Secretaries, besides officials from the Town and Country Planning Department and representatives of several real estate companies.

The agency alleged that nearly 400 acres were acquired from farmers in Manesar and adjoining villages in Gurugram district on the pretext of “public purpose”, but were later licensed to builders and developers at undervalued rates. This, according to the CBI, caused a loss of about Rs 1,500 crore to the farmers.