Govt freezes Old Delhi land deal with Dubai-based firm

“The allegations are totally baseless. There is a police post on the land in question. How can I evict a police post? I will file a defamation case against the government,” Iqbal said.

Following concerns raised by the Union Home Ministry,the government has also decided to order a high-level probe into the Dubai-based hotel chain’s effort to acquire the land in Old Delhi area,allegedly with Iqbal’s help.

“The deal,some part of which was reportedly sealed in Pakistan,was freezed as the property in question ‘is an enemy property’ which belongs to the Central government,” Delhi Revenue Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan said.

Enemy properties are those that were evacuated following the Partition when the real owners had left for Pakistan. Such properties now belong to the Central government.

“We had to freeze the entire deal after it was found that some part of the required transactions were done by an attorney in Pakistan,which cannot be valid in India,” he said.

“A thorough investigation will be carried out,and even the possible role of government officials in trying to hand over the property to the Dubai-based hotel chain would be ordered. We’re looking at all possible links in the land deal,” Chauhan said,adding the government is yet to decide on whether the matter will be given to the CBI or the Vigilance department.

Officials alleged Iqbal has been pushing for the construction of the 100-room hotel. The land in question is the property numbered 913 to 921 in Ward 9 of the Jama Masjid area. Sources said Iqbal’s wife Huma’s name was found to be figuring as that of a client on a map for the proposed hotel project.

The Revenue Minister said the government has also to the Centre asking it to give a list of immovable properties and land in the national capital so that a proper record of these enemy properties can be made.