New Delhi, Oct 9 (IANS) Realty major DLF Tuesday denied activist Arvind Kejriwal's fresh allegations on land deals in Haryana and said an attempt was being made to sensationalise the charges.
The company said it had not enjoyed special favours from the Haryana government and had compiled with all applicable rules and followed highest ethical standards in its business transactions.
Responding to charges levelled by Kejriwal, DLF said the allegations largely centred around issues already in public domain and were well disclosed.
"It is unfortunate that an attempt is being made to sensationalise the same," a company statement said.
Kejriwal said earlier in the day that DLF, which had business transactions with Robert Vadra, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law, was favoured by the Haryana government in land deals.
Refuting allegation of a nexus between DLF and Haryana government, the statement said the case relating to 30 acres of land for a special economic zone (SEZ) in Gurgaon purchased by DLF from East India Hotels was stayed by the Supreme Court last year.
About Kejriwal's allegation that Vadra was a majority shareholder in DLF SEZ Holdings Pvt. Ltd., the company said 50 percent of shareholding was acquired by North India IT Parks Pvt. Ltd. (a Vadra Group company) in October 2008 at the face value of Rs.2.50 lakh. It said no gains were made by DLF or Vadra.
"The said 50 percent shareholding was subsequently bought back from North India IT Parks Pvt. Ltd. in September 2009 fully at face value of Rs.2.50 lakh, as the proposal for developing SEZs could not take off due to deep recession in the market in 2009. No benefit or gain was made by Mr. Vadra or DLF, in this regard. We wish to clarify that this proposal had nothing to do with SEZ being developed or developed by DLF (including the one referred above). Mr. Vadra neither had nor has any interest in the various SEZs of DLF in any manner," the statement said.
On the 350 acres land belonging to Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) and Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) given to DLF, the company referred to its earlier press statement that the land was allotted through an international bidding tender.
"This matter is subjudice before the Punjab and Haryana High Court. We stand by our statement," it said.
Kejriwal had alleged that the bids of two other companies, which were among the three which had applied for the land, were not even opened as a clause was later inserted by the state government making the two companies ineligible.
On the allegation about increased floor area ratio for DLF, the statement said no changes in FAR or density had taken place in revisions of the Gurgaon Manesar Urban Complex master plan.
"Hence, no benefit has accrued to DLF by the said revisions in the master plan," it said.
On the allegation that land acquisition was cancelled in Manesar to favour DLF, the statement said "DLF or any of its companies never purchased any land in the residential sectors of Manesar."
"Acquisition proceedings were withdrawn by government of Haryana on August 24, 2007, whereas DLF acquired development rights much later from other developers to develop two licensed group housing projects only on 11 April 2008. These group housing projects are under development after obtaining all due approvals," the statement said.
Referring to Kejriwal's objections to DLF's earlier stance, the company said it stood by its statement.
"We stand by our earlier statement and wish to once again specifically state that DLF has neither sought nor enjoyed any special favours from the government of Haryana and all developments of DLF undertaken over the last four decades are strictly in compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations with an adherence to the highest ethical standards," the statement said.