Flooding destroyed Robert Vadra’s Skylight Hospitality records, bank to state
Chandigarh, July 21
Nearly five years after an FIR was registered against former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and others for cheating and other offences in Gurugram, the State of Haryana today quoted a bank as saying that financial records for 2008 and 2012 of Robert Vadra’s Skylight Hospitality were destroyed by flooding of the basement of its branch.
MLAs being probed
The Punjab and Haryana High Court was also told that in all eight cases registered against MPs/MLAs in the state were under investigation. Out of the total, six cases pertained to the State Vigilance Bureau, now Anti-Corruption Bureau
An affidavit placed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court said a letter was written to the Union Bank of India regarding “fund inflow” in the accounts of Skylight Hospitality. The response received on May 26 said the records for 2008 and 2012 had been destroyed due to the flooding in the basement of its branch.
The affidavit said notices had been sent to the bank to seek information if records of other firms had also been destroyed and which authorities were intimated by the branch about the incident. “Notice was sent to New Friends Colony branch of the Union Bank on June 20 to inquire into the circumstances in which the relevant record of M/s Skylight Hospitality and Realty was destroyed due to water flooding in the basement of that branch. The response is still awaited”.
The affidavit also reiterated that no involvement of Om Parkash Chautala, the then Chief Minister, Haryana, was found in a corruption case registered on October 18, 2005, under Section 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC and the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act regarding alleged irregularities and malpractices in recruitment. The allegations related to selection having been made on political and extraneous considerations.
The high court was also told that in all eight cases registered against MPs/MLAs in the state were under investigation. Out of the total, six cases pertained to the State Vigilance Bureau, now Anti-Corruption Bureau.
The affidavit added a review meeting, headed by the Director-General of Police, was attended by all stake-holders, including Additional Director-General of Police, Crime; Director of Prosecution (General); all Commissioners and Superintendents of Police as well as District Attorneys concerned.
“It was conveyed at the meeting that investigation in all pending cases should be completed at the earliest strictly in accordance with laid down procedures and norms under the law. Progress made in under investigation and under trial cases was also deliberated upon in the meeting and directions were given to all head of units concerned and District Attorneys to supervise under trial cases so that remaining witnesses appear before the trial court(s) in order to avoid delay in proceedings,” the affidavit said.
