Abuzz-worthy land deal in Haryana, featuring a senior female IAS officer, her spouse (who happens to be the state information commissioner) and a former additional chief secretary has hit a snag due to some red flags raised by Panchkula revenue officials.
It began in September last year when Ambala Divisional Commissioner Renu Phulia made a swift quasi-judicial decision to lift a decades-old injunction on the sale and purchase of a 14-acre land parcel near Panchkula, originally owned by a royal family. This decision, prompted by a petition from the brother of former additional chief secretary Shashi Gulati, was surprisingly expedited within a mere 16 days. Shortly after this decision, Renu’s husband, SS Phulia, the current state information commissioner and a former IAS officer, expressed keen interest in acquiring five acres of this prime land.
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According to official records, Shashi Gulati got hold of this land parcel, but here’s the catch: some areas in Panchkula have been under a 20-year freeze on land transactions as the authorities grapple with determining surplus land under the Haryana Ceiling on Land Holdings Act. The Punjab and Haryana High Court’s directive in February 2023 added fuel to the fire, compelling Panchkula’s SDM to reevaluate surplus lands, leading to a series of procedural actions. In their plea to the Ambala Commissioner, Shashi Gulati’s family argued to scrap the stay order, insisting the land didn’t fall under surplus criteria. Renu Phulia’s decision to overturn the stay order came through a quasi-judicial order in September 2023. She asserted that the land in question fell within permissible areas, further stressing that all necessary government permissions were secured for the purchase. But the controversy refuses to die down.
IPS officer repatriated amid allegations and investigations
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AP High Court aims at healthcare fund irregularities
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