National Herald – ED summons Motilal Vora in Panchkula land deals

Congress Treasurer Motilal Vora has been asked to appear in front of ED in connection with money laundering probe

November 8, 2016

Congress Treasurer Vora has been asked to appear in front of ED in connection with PMLA on AJL property in Haryana

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government is slowly but steadily proceeding against illegalities associated with the Congress leadership in the National Herald case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday summoned Congress Treasurer Motilal Vora in connection with its money laundering probe into irregularities in the allotment of a plot to Associated Journal Limited (AJL), publisher of the National Herald newspaper, in Haryana’s Panchkula in 2005.

Meanwhile, the main National Herald case filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy is posted for arguments on December 9.

Vora, the keeper of Congress accounts has been summoned under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for questioning on November 22. ED officials said Vora has been summoned by the Investigating Officer (IO) of the case in his capacity as the Chairman and Managing Director of the AJL.

ED has already booked former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, AJL officials and others on charges of alleged money laundering, taking cognisance of a Haryana State Vigilance Bureau FIR. The Vigilance Bureau had registered a case of cheating and corruption against Hooda and four officials who were in HUDA for allegedly re-allotting a plot to AJL in Panchkula in 2005.

Meanwhile, the main National Herald case filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy is posted for arguments on December 9. Congress has vehemently objected to Swamy’s demand for summoning of documents from various government departments. He also demanded the Congress party to submit its balance sheets and accounts during the scam period of 2010-2011. On December 9, Swamy will continue his arguments, rebutting the Congress versions.

ED and CBI has not acted on Swamy’s complaints against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi for breach of public trust, manipulations, cheating violating the provisions of government properties for newspaper publications and capturing the assets of AJL etc.

Background of Panchkula land deal.

The vigilance case was registered under various IPC sections, including criminal breach of trust by a public servant, cheating, criminal conspiracy and under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, against Hooda, the then Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) chairman, an ex-officio post held by him as the CM, and four other top officials of HUDA on May 5 this year.

The Vigilance Bureau had alleged that the act by the then HUDA chairman and the officials had caused a huge financial loss to HUDA…

The plot had been initially allotted to AJL in 1982. After the expiry of the lease period in 1996, then Haryana Vikas Party government led by Bansi Lal took back its possession. It was re-allotted to AJL after the Congress leader came to power in 2005.

The Vigilance Bureau had alleged that the act by the then HUDA chairman and the officials had caused a huge financial loss to HUDA as the plot should have been sold through open auction instead of being allotted again to AJL.

A separate FIR had been lodged in December last year by the state vigilance bureau against Hooda as the then chairman and chief administrator of HUDA for alleged irregularities in allotment of industrial plots in Panchkula three years ago.

There are similar kinds of irregularities in the allotments of land for National Herald in Mumbai, Bhopal, Indore. Maharashtra State Government has already initiated action on the irregularities and capturing of Mumbai land for publication of National Herald newspaper. On August 10th, Senior BJP leader Dr. Subramanian Swamy had written to Shri. Venkaiah Naidu asking him to direct Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to re-possess Herald House, located in a prime location in New Delhi.

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