Congress said the “fake news factory” and the “dirty tricks department” of Narendra Modi government and BJP are acting “maliciously” against Vadra and Hooda.
THE CONGRESS Sunday termed as “panic reaction” and “witch hunt” the registration of an FIR by the Haryana police against UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra and former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, fraud, forgery and under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
It said the “fake news factory” and the “dirty tricks department” of Narendra Modi government and BJP are acting “maliciously” against Vadra and Hooda in pursuit of their vicious propaganda” as Assembly polls to Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and Lok Sabha election draw near. It alleged that the FIR is also an attempt to divert attention from the row over Rafale deal.
Congress communication department head Randeep Surjewala said Vadra’s Skylight Hospitality Private Limited purchased 3.5 acres in the “notified commercial zone” at Sikohpur village in Gurgaon “through a registered sale-deed for Rs 7.95 crore, including stamp duties as per the prevailing collector rate” on January 28, 2008. “In accordance with the prevailing government policy for grant of licence, a commercial licence for 2.5 acres was granted on December 15, 2008. Commercial colony licence charges of Rs 7.43 crore and renewal charges of Rs 73 lakh were also paid. Thus, total amount paid for purchase of land and statutory charges comes to Rs 16.11 crore.”
“After a lapse of nearly 5 years, this land was sold by Skylight to DLF for Rs 58 crore on September 18, 2012. Even on this amount, Skylight/Mr. Vadra paid an additional tax of Rs.8 crore. Thus, a total amount of Rs 24.11 crore (16.11 crore + 8 crore) was paid in statutory charges/taxes against the receipt of sale price of Rs 58 crore. Even the licence remains valid till date and has not been cancelled on account of violation of any rule or law or policy for grant of licence. The entire allegations are, thus, false and fabricated on the face of it,” he said in a statement.
He said various governments in Haryana, including the BJP and BJP-Lok Dal governments, have issued licences for 33,697.57 acres, including over 11,000 acres in Gurgaon. “The BJP and Khattar government are spreading canards against Hooda and Vadra qua a small licence for merely 2.7 acres out of total licences running to over 11,000 acres in Gurgaon on account of sheer malafides.”