Haryana Lokayukta directs police to investigate cash-for-CLU scam

The Haryana Lokayukta on Wednesday directed the police to hold investigation into an alleged cash-for-change of land use (CLU) scam involving some sitting Congress MLAs after holding that it was a fit case for investigation under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Lokayukta Justice Pritam Pal (retd) directed the five Congress MLAs to appear before Haryana's ADGP V Kamaraj, on October 22, in connection with inquiry into the matter. The Lokayukta further directed the Haryana police to hold investigation into the alleged scandal and submit its report within three months.

Pal directed the five sitting MLAs, Rao Narinder Singh (Narnaul), Chief Parliamentary Secretary Vinod Bhayana (Hansi), Ram Niwas Ghorela (Barwala), Naresh Selwal (Uklana) and Jarnail Singh (Ratia), to appear before the ADGP.

They are also fighting the October 15 Haryana assembly polls. Meanwhile, Abhay Singh Chautala, senior leader of the opposition INLD, the party which had released some CDs last year showing the Congress legislators allegedly seeking illegal gratification in lieu of getting the CLU permissions, demanded the cancellation of their nominations papers.

In an earlier order, the Lokayukta had refused to give any reprieve to the five Congress leaders. They had then said that allegations against them were baseless and the complaint was not maintainable by the Lokayukta under Section 9 of the Haryana Lokayukta Act.