CAG nails irregularities in Robert Vadra company land deals

The Congress-led government in Haryana had flouted all rules in allotting a commercial plot in Manesar to Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd, belonging to Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra, says a Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) report submitted in the state assembly Wednesday.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Khattar has said his government would look into all the irregularities pointed out by the CAG report.

Though the CAG's fresh audit report does not name Vadra, it points to outright favours to the company where he is one of the directors.

Vadra's Skylight Hospitality was allotted a commercial plot of 3.5 acres at Sector 83 in Manesar, bordering the Delhi suburb of Gurgaon. Of this 3.5 acres, more than two acres was meant for roads and a green belt and the rest for commercial purposes. However, the previous Hooda-led Congress government gave the company a commercial licence to develop the 3.5 acres instead of 1.35 acres, the report says.

Interestingly, while applying for the commercial licence, Vadra had not submitted any documents. Skylight Hospitality only made a mention of Vadra as a director. The law requires that each applicant must furnish documents proving his or her financial capacity, bank statements, promoter's turnover and technical support for commercial operations.

Moreover, the application for a commercial licence was received on March 10, 2008. The Hooda government made a special drawing of the Sector 83 area on October 21, 2008 to approve his commercial licence.