Hooda, Vora get interim bail in AJL land allotment case

The local Enforcement Directorate special court on Wednesday granted interim bail to former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Congress leader Moti Lal Vora in the Associated Journal Limited (AJL) plot allotment case.

The court will take up their regular bail plea on November 6. The court also issued notice to ED seeking its reply on the plea.

The ED on August 26 had filed prosecution complaint under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) Act, in the court of special CBI Judge Jagdeep Singh in Panchkula, which is also special court for ED.

The ED, in its first chargesheet in the case, named Vora, Hooda and AJL charging that they were “directly involved in the process and activity connected with the acquisition and possession of the proceeds of the crime”.

Both Hooda and Vora submitted before the court that they had fully co-operated with the investigating agency and during the course of investigation, their conduct had been transparent and above board.

They added that the ED never arrested them and the case is predominately based on documentary evidence which was in the possession of the investigating agency. They said that there was no allegation of personal enrichment against them.