At a time when Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra has shown his interest in contesting election from Gandhi pocket borough Amethi, IAS officer Ashok Khemka raised questions on the slow progress in the probe alleged into alleged irregularities in land deals in Haryana.
“Why is the probe into the Vadra-DLF deal slow? It has been10 years. How much more wait? The Dhingra Commission report is also in cold storage. Sinners are having fun.
“Why is the intent of administration weak? The promise made by the prime minister to the country in 2014 should be remembered,” Khemka, posted this on X.
Ashok Khemka, who is currently serving as additional chief secretary printing and stationery, in 2012 had cancelled the mutation of the 3.5-acre land deal between Skylight Hospitality — a company linked to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra — and the realty major DLF in Gurugram's Manesar-Shikohpur.
At that time Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda was the chief minister. Cancellation of land deal irked the then Congress government, which transferred him immediately.
Ashok Khemka at that time was the director general, consolidation of holdings and land records. He became the whistleblower and accused the then Congress government of victimising him.
The BJP, after winning the Haryana assembly polls in 2014, had set up a commission of inquiry under Justice S N Dhingra (retired) in 2015 to probe issues pertaining to grant of commercial licence to Skylight.
However the Dhingra report was quashed by the Haryana and Punjab High Court citing procedural irregularities.
Ashok Khemka has raised the issue at a time when Robert Vadra has shown intention of contesting Lok Sabha election from Amethi. BJP leader Smriti Irani had defeated Rahul Gandhi in 2019 elections. Vadra has been nursing ambition of contesting elections. This time there is speculations that someone from Gandhi family would contest election from Amethi, which is the pocket borough of Gandhi family.
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