The CBI has taken over probe into 18 First Information Reports (FIRs) in connection with purchase and sale of land in Bikaner of Rajasthan which included four such cases involving businessman Robert Vadra-promoted Skylight Hospitality.
The Rajasthan Police last year cleared Vadra of any wrongdoing, saying he was a bona fide purchaser who was “cheated” and “certainly a victim of fraud”.
“The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today registered 18 cases under sections 420 (cheating), 461 (dishonestly breaking open receptacle containing property), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document) of the Indian Penal Code on the request of Rajasthan Government and (following a) further notification from (the) government of India and taken over the investigation,” said a CBI statement.
The agency statement added that the cases were related to alleged fraudulent and fictitious claims/allotments in lieu of land acquired for Mahajan Field Firing Range, Bikaner used by the Indian Army.
The cases involve around 1,400 bighas of land allotted in lieu of the land acquired for the firing range. A probe found land was allotted to people who had not been displaced.
{{/usCountry}}The cases involve around 1,400 bighas of land allotted in lieu of the land acquired for the firing range. A probe found land was allotted to people who had not been displaced.
{{/usCountry}}Around 275 bighas were bought by Skylight Hospitality in 2010 and sold by it in 2012.
At the time of announcing transfer of probe to the CBI, Rajasthan home minister Gulab Chand Kataria had said: “When the issue was probed, it was found that in connivance of administrative officers the land was fraudulently allotted and huge profit was earned by selling it.”