Court Clears Bhupinder Singh Hooda: Land Re-allocation Case Dismissed
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has overturned charges against ex-Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Associated Journals Limited over the re-allotment of a Panchkula plot. The court found insufficient grounds for proceeding, dismissing previous charges of conspiracy and cheating, emphasizing the legality of the re-allotment decision.
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The Punjab and Haryana High Court has set aside criminal charges against former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Associated Journals Limited. The charges pertained to the re-allotment of a plot in Panchkula, a decision initially made by the Haryana Urban Development Authority in 2005.
Justice Tribhuvan Dahiya's bench dismissed the April 2021 special CBI court order framing charges of conspiracy and cheating. The court deemed these proceedings against Hooda and AJL an abuse of the legal process, as the evidence did not support the allegations.
Highlighting deficiencies in the investigation, the court noted the unanimous ratification of the decision by the state's authority and questioned the CBI's selective targeting. The re-allotment was never deemed illegal, and no financial loss to the government was substantiated.
(With inputs from agencies.)

