Congress accuses Modi for 'false and fake FIRs against political opponents'

The Congress today attacked the Modi government over the FIR against Robert Vadra and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for alleged irregularities in land deals and said it was an attempt to divert attention from issues like Rafale agreement and demonetization.

An FIR against Vadra, who is Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law, Hooda, and two companies have been registered at Kherki Daula police station in Gurgaon, Manesar Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Kumar had said on Saturday.

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 Rafale deal, the demonetization "scam", the 12 lakh crore "loot" through a hike in 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 purchased 3.5 acres of land in Gurgaon'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 license for the development of the colony with the influence of Hooda, the complainant, Surinder Sharma, alleged.

The company thus made a profit of about Rs 50 crore, according to the allegation which has been trashed in the past by Vadra.

Surjewala said facts showed that Vadra's Skylight Hospitality Private Limited purchased 3.5 acres of land on January 28, 2008, in the notified commercial zone of Gurgaon's village Sikohpur 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 a license, a commercial license for 2.5 acres was granted on December 15, 2008. Commercial colony license charges of Rs 7.43 crore and renewal charges of Rs 73 lakh were also paid. Thus, the total amount paid for the purchase of land and statutory charges comes to Rs 16.11 crore," he said.

After nearly five years, this land was sold by Skylight to DLF for Rs 58 crore on September 18, 2012, he added.

"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 the sale price of Rs 58 crore," Surjewala said.

The license remains valid till date and has not been canceled on account of violation of any rule or law or policy for grant of a license, he said, adding that the allegations are "false and fabricated".

"The BJP and Khattar government are spreading canards against Shri Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Mr. Robert Vadra qua a small license for merely 2.7 acres out of total licenses running to over 11,000 acres in Gurgaon on account of sheer malafides," Surjewala alleged.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)