A trial court in Haryana’s Panchkula has closed the Enforcement Directorate’s complaint against Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) concerning the re-allotment of an institutional plot at old rates in 2005. The ED’s complaint against Hooda and AJL was closed as they had already been discharged in the main case by the CBI. The Punjab and Haryana High Court discharged Hooda and AJL on February 25, citing insufficient grounds to proceed with a criminal trial.
Special Judge Rajeev Goyal, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), closed the ED’s complaint against Hooda and AJL. The High Court’s decision was based on the lack of evidence establishing dishonest intention or wrongful gain in the case. Responding to the closure of the ED’s complaint, Hooda’s counsel emphasized that the ED complaint could not continue following the discharge in the primary CBI case.
Hooda, a former Chief Minister of Haryana, faced charges of cheating and corruption in the re-allotment of land to AJL, which is associated with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. The re-allotment of the plot, C-17 in Sector 6 in Panchkula, to AJL in 2005 raised legal concerns. Hooda, who was the Chairman of the Haryana Urban Development Authority at the time, defended the re-allotment, stating no wrongdoing was involved.
