The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday conducted raids at the residences of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and a sitting UPSC member alongside 18 different areas for a case of alleged irregularities in a acquisition of land in Gurugram in which farmers were duped to the tune of Rs 1,500 crore.

CBI sources said other than Hooda’s home, premises of the then Principal Secretary ML Tayal, UPSC member Chattar Singh, both previous IAS officers, and a serving IAS SS Dhillon were additionally sought by the probe team.

“In a continuous probe, CBI completed inquiries at 20 location in Rohtak, Gurgaon, Panchkula and Delhi in connection with alleged irregularities in the buy of land from ranchers in Gurgaon,” CBI Spokesperson RK Gaur said.

The agency had registered the case last year in September on allegations that private builders in conspiracy with unknown public servants of Haryana Government had purchased around 400 acres of land from farmers and land owners of village Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula, District Gurgaon at throw away prices, showing the threat of acquisition by the government, during the period 27 August, 2004 to 24 August, 2007.

It is alleged that in this process, initially, the Haryana Government had issued a notification under the Land Acquisition Act for the acquisition of land measuring about 912 acres for setting up an Industrial Model Township at Villages Manesar, Naurangpur, and Lakhnoula in Gurgaon.