Haryana Congress Chief Rao Narender Singh Faces Chargesheet in 12-Year-Old CLU Bribery Case; BJP Accused of Political Vendetta
Narnaul Court to Hear 12-Year-Old Corruption Case Against Rao Narender Singh Amid Claims of BJP’s Political Targeting
Narnaul, Haryana | October 24, 2025
In a development that has reignited political tensions in Haryana ahead of upcoming elections, the state’s Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has filed a chargesheet against Rao Narender Singh, the newly appointed president of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) and former Health Minister, in a corruption case dating back over a decade. The charges, presented under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, 1988, in the court of Additional Sessions Judge Harshali Chaudhary in Narnaul, revolve around allegations of demanding hefty bribes for facilitating Change of Land Use (CLU) approvals.
The case, which first surfaced in 2013 during the Congress-led government under then-Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, has been revived amid Rao’s recent elevation to the party’s top post in the state. Political observers view the timing as potentially indicative of escalating rivalry between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress, especially as the state gears up for assembly polls.
Background of the Case: A Sting Operation from 2013
The origins of the case trace back to November 2013, when Rao Narender Singh, then a Congress MLA from Narnaul and Health Minister, was allegedly caught in a sting operation orchestrated by one Dharmendra Kuhad, a Palwal-based businessman. According to the complaint, Kuhad sought CLU approval for approximately 30 acres of agricultural land in Palwal district to convert it for commercial or industrial use—a process that requires government clearance under Haryana’s land regulations.
Prosecutors allege that during meetings, Rao demanded a bribe ranging from ₹30 crore to ₹50 crore in exchange for expediting the CLU process through his influence in the state machinery. Kuhad, suspecting foul play, secretly recorded the interactions using audio and video equipment, capturing what he claimed was explicit negotiation over the bribe amount.
The recordings were compiled into a CD, which Kuhad handed over to Rampaul Majra, then a legislator from the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), a regional party often in opposition to Congress. The INLD, seizing the opportunity to embarrass the ruling dispensation, publicly released the CD on November 9, 2013, during a press conference in Chandigarh. The video, which resurfaced in September 2024 following Rao’s appointment as HPCC chief, showed snippets of conversations purportedly involving Rao and another individual discussing the “deal.”
Timeline of Investigation and Legal Proceedings
The complaint gained formal traction in 2014, when Majra lodged it as Complaint No. 44 with the Haryana Lokayukta, an independent anti-corruption ombudsman. The Lokayukta, tasked with probing high-level graft, promptly assigned the investigation to senior IPS officer V. Kamraja.
April 27, 2015**: Kamraja submitted his preliminary inquiry report to the Lokayukta, recommending further action based on the evidence from the sting operation.
December 16, 2015**: Acting on the report, the Lokayukta directed a letter to the Haryana Chief Secretary, urging the registration of an FIR against Rao and four other individuals implicated in similar CLU-related irregularities.
January 29, 2016**: An FIR was duly filed at the State Vigilance Bureau police station in Gurugram under Section 7 of the PC Act, which criminalizes public servants demanding undue advantages. The accused included Rao and other Congress leaders from the Hooda era.
The probe languished for nearly a decade, with periodic updates to the Punjab and Haryana High Court in response to petitions seeking faster resolution of cases against politicians. In August 2024, Haryana Police informed the High Court that the investigation was complete and a chargesheet would be filed imminently. True to that assurance, DSP Ashok Dagar of the Narnaul unit of the Vigilance Bureau presented the chargesheet in court on Thursday, October 23, 2025. The document reportedly includes the original sting recordings, witness statements from Kuhad and Majra, and corroborative evidence from the 2015 inquiry.
The court has now taken cognizance of the charges, and the case is set to proceed with hearings. Rao has been summoned to appear, though no arrest warrant has been issued at this stage.
Rao Narender Singh’s Response: “BJP’s Frustration and Political Vendetta”
Reacting to the development, Rao Narender Singh dismissed the charges as a “fabricated narrative” and a clear sign of the BJP government’s “frustration” over the Congress’s growing momentum in the state. In a statement to the media, the 68-year-old leader, a five-time MLA from the Ahirwal belt, accused the ruling dispensation of weaponizing old cases to target opposition figures.
“This is nothing but the BJP’s desperation and political vendetta,” Rao said. “They have dusted off a 12-year-old baseless allegation just to malign me and derail the Congress’s resurgence in Haryana. The so-called sting was a political stunt by INLD, which is now aligning with BJP interests. I am fully prepared to face this in court and prove my innocence—the truth will emerge, and their dirty tricks will backfire.”
Rao, who was appointed HPCC president in late September 2025 amid internal party rifts, emphasized his clean track record and long service to the state. He urged the people of Haryana not to fall for “divisive tactics” and vowed to continue his fight against the BJP on issues like farmers’ distress, unemployment, and governance failures.
