A panel comprising bureaucrats in Haryana to probe Robert Vadra-DLF land deals in the state has submitted its report in record 14 days, giving a clean chit to the UPA chairperson’s son-in-law. 

The panel consisting of the deputy commissioners (Gurgaon, Faridabad, Palwal and Mewat) investigated the land deals after IAS officer Ashok Khemka ordered an inquiry in one of the Vadra-DLF deals on October 12. The panel found no undervaluation in any of the transaction of land deals. Commenting on the development, India Against Corruption’s Arvind Kejriwal said, “...That was expected. Country would be surprised if it were otherwise... Are all these probes merely an eyewash?”

Khemka, who held the twin positions of the director general, consolidation of land holdings, and inspector general of registration under Haryana government, dropped a bomb when he first order an inquiry on October 12 and then cancelled the mutation (transfer of the title of a property in revenue records) of a piece of land owned by Sky Light (a firm owned by Vadra) to DLF. Promptly, Khemka was transferred, a record 43rd time in his career spanning over two decades.

Khemka’s objections

·         Sale of property on September 18, 2012 during the pendency of the consolidation proceedings without the sanction of the consolidation officer was against the provisions of section 30 of the Land Consolidation Act.

·         The action to register the property when the estate of Shikohpur was under consolidation was not proper.

·         Under-valuation of property registered in the registering offices of the state leads to loss of revenues of the state government.

·         How can town & planning department, Haryana renew the LOI/licence in fvour of the Sky Light when 86.2 percent of the total sales consideration was paid to him by October 2009, 15 months before the date of renewable of the LOI/licence?

·         The permission to sell the impugned property violates section 30 of the Consolidation Act.

·         The assistant consolidation officer was not competent to do the mutation. Under the Punjab Land Revenue Act, only a revenue officer has power do the mutation.

The Vadra-DLF deal: Timeline

·         February 13, 2008: Vadra’s company Sky Light buys 3.53 acres of agriculture land in Shikohpur, Gurgaon, for Rs 7.5 crore.

·         March 28, 2008: Granted licence to develop 2.701 acres of the land into a housing colony. The company was granted change of land use (CLU) by the town & planning department, Haryana.

·         June 6, 2008: Sky Light entered sale deed of Rs 58 crore with DLF Universal Ltd

·         October 7, 2009: By this date, DLF paid Rs 50 crore in three installments to Sky Light as per the registered sale deed.

·         January 18, 2011: Licence subsequently renewed to Sky Light by the town & planning department, Haryana.

·         August 5, 2011: Notification of Shikohpur village under section 14 (1) of the East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948.

·         July 25, 2012: DLF paid last installment of Rs 8 crore.

·         September 18, 2012: Register of the property in the name of DLF.

·         September 20, 2012: Mutation to the sale deed was sanctioned by the assistant consolidation officer, Gurgaon.

·         October 12, 2012: Khemka orders inquiry of the sale deed between Sky Light and DLF.

·         October 15, 2012: Khemka cancels the mutation.