Hitender Rao is Senior Associate Editor covering the state of Haryana. A journalist with over two decades of experience, he writes on politics, economy, migration and legal affairs with a focus on investigative journalism.
Articles by Hitender Rao
WhatsApp chats, voice recordings establishes demand acceptance of bribe money: ACB
The Haryana anti-corruption bureau claims to have evidence of an IAS officer accepting bribes in a corruption case after analyzing WhatsApp calls and messages. The officer was granted bail on November 28.
Updated on Dec 02, 2023 08:02 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
EMAAR-MGF dispute: Sham valuation of 54 acres within 72 hours paved way for defrauding India partner, says FIR
The UAE based realty firm has been booked for cheating, forgery, criminal breach of trust, criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy on the orders of the Gurugram chief judicial magistrate on the basis of a complaint submitted by its former India partner, MGF Development Ltd
Updated on Nov 25, 2023 08:06 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
EMAAR-MGF dispute: UAE-based realty company booked by Gurugram police
“The realty company allegedly came up with the valuation of lands at low prices when the adjacent lands were being sold at much higher prices, exploited the warranty indemnity and litigation indemnity agreements and committed cognisable offences for getting wrongful gain.” -FIR
Updated on Nov 24, 2023 11:00 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
IAS officers at loggerheads: Haryana orders fact-finding probe into cross-complaints
The two IAS officers have been at loggerheads with each other since April 2022. It all started when Verma as the then managing director of Haryana State Warehousing Corporation (HSWC) submitted a complaint to the police for registration of a first information report (FIR) against his senior IAS colleague, Ashok Khemka and three others for allegedly making appointments in HSWC in an illegal and arbitrary manner.
Updated on Nov 23, 2023 09:40 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
Private sector quota law quashed: Setback to BJP-JJP govt before 2024 assembly polls
Punjab and Haryana high court’s decision to hold the 75 % private sector quota law enacted by the BJP-JJP government in Haryana as unconstitutional has come as a loss of face for the ruling alliance, less than a year before the state goes for assembly elections.
Updated on Nov 18, 2023 06:38 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
A short explainer of the Haryana Municipal Urban Built-Plan Reform Policy
Haryana cabinet approves policy to validate residential plots used for commercial purposes
Updated on Oct 30, 2023 12:36 PM IST
4 years of Haryana CM Khattar’s second innings: Fighting ally’s demons with Teflon image
Running a minority government, formed courtesy a post-poll alliance with Dushyant Chautala’s Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), posed to be challenging for the RSS ideologue-turned-chief minister.
Published on Oct 27, 2023 02:00 PM IST
Graft case against IAS officer: Haryana ACB counting on chain of evidence to Arya
Legal experts say by skipping the requirements to obtain prior govt approval, enough room has been created to the advantage of 2009-batch IAS officer Jaibir Singh Arya
Updated on Oct 21, 2023 08:08 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
Palwal man gets death sentence for raping minor daughter for 4 years
The special court has also awarded ₹10.5 lakh as compensation to the victim; the convict used to assault and intimidate the victim, said the court
Published on Oct 07, 2023 09:04 PM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
Haryana: Decks cleared for 800 MW thermal power plant in Yamunanagar
Cost benefit analysis taking into account coal transportation cost, free power to host state, land acquisition costs, raw water availability outweighed Centre’s suggestion
Updated on Oct 07, 2023 07:04 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
Stepfather gets life imprisonment for raping 11-year-old girl
The fast-track POCSO court headed by additional sessions judge (ASJ) Prashant Rana while holding the 30-year-old stepfather guilty of aggravated penetrative sexual assault under Section 6 of the POCSO Act said in his order that life imprisonment granted to the convict shall be without any remission and the convict shall undergo rigorous imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life, till his last breath.
Published on Sep 15, 2023 12:19 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
Spurious drug case: Accused gets bail as drugs control officer did not get permission to visit Italy
Additional sessions judge (ASJ), Gurugram, Jasbir Singh while granting bail to accused Motidur Rahman Ansari said that the DCO has mainly relied upon an email sent by the manufacturer to establish the spurious nature of the drug seized from co-accused Sandeep Bhui.
Published on Sep 14, 2023 12:46 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
Haryana failed to provide adequate, quality water to residents: CAG report
While assessing the quality of water supplied in six districts, the CAG found that chlorination for disinfecting the water was not detected in the samples at 12 out of 25 locations selected and was found to be more than the prescribed limit at 11 locations.
Updated on Sep 06, 2023 08:08 PM IST
SC sets aside high court order on granting anticipatory bail to proclaimed offender
The apex court has, in several judgments, been categorical against granting anticipatory bail to proclaimed offenders barring exceptional circumstances, says Haryana law officer
Updated on Sep 05, 2023 03:48 PM IST
Amid power tussle: Haryana Sikh body chief, general secretary tender resignations
While no reason has been ascribed for their resignations, the development comes a fortnight after the ad-hoc body had sought the removal of member and former chief Baljit Singh Daduwal and general secretary Gurvinder Singh Dhamija for allegedly using indecent language in a gurdwara.
Updated on Sep 04, 2023 12:53 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
Haryana assembly committee recommends probe into grant of forest NOC to developer
The no-objection certificate was a part of the trail of illegalities that started with the allotment of 3.93 acres to the developer by the municipal corporation of Faridabad in the PLPA-notified area: CAG
Updated on Aug 30, 2023 03:17 PM IST
2004 HCS selections: HC sets aside notices to dispense with services of officers
Haryana government re-opened issue of selection by wrongly interpreting December 2018 HC order: Court
Updated on Aug 26, 2023 03:35 PM IST
Gurdwara body row: Conflict escalates as Baljit Daduwal, Gurvinder Dhamija hit back at HSGMC chief
Five days after the ad-hoc body, constituted to facilitate the transfer of assets of 48 Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee controlled gurdwaras, sought the removal of member and former chief, Baljit Singh Daduwal and general secretary, Gurvinder Singh Dhamija for allegedly using indecent language in a gurdwara, the duo hit back on Tuesday.
Updated on Aug 23, 2023 12:46 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
Misappropriation of home buyers’ money: ED prosecution complaint leaves many questions unanswered
Not clear what happened to laundered money beyond the companies mentioned in the complaint, the agency is yet complete the money trail, says legal experts
Updated on Aug 18, 2023 12:57 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
Shatrujeet Kapur takes charge as new Haryana Police chief
The 1990-batch officer is the junior most in the list of three IPS officers empanelled by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and will have a minimum tenure of two years as mandated by the Supreme Court
Updated on Aug 16, 2023 03:46 PM IST
Siphoning home buyers’ money: 1,700 buyers did not get flats, plots despite paying IREO, ED finds
Due to buy-back and transfer of customer receipts to overseas companies, the Indian operating companies became short of funds and few became insolvent: ED
Updated on Aug 15, 2023 03:31 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
Siphoning homebuyers’ money: Driver made M3M director to carry out financial fraud, finds ED probe
ED has named 15 new individuals and 30 companies as accused in the supplementary prosecution complaint
Updated on Aug 14, 2023 03:23 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
Driver was made M3M’s director to carry out financial fraud, says ED
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has found that a car driver was appointed as a director of a group company to facilitate transfer of development rights
Updated on Aug 14, 2023 12:30 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh:
Money laundering case: Enforcement Directorate arrests former CBI judge Sudhir Parmar
The ED is investigating the money laundering case linked to a corruption case registered by the Haryana anti-corruption bureau (ACB) against Parmar, an additional sessions judge-rank judicial officer who was also holding the charge of special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court before he was suspended
Updated on Aug 11, 2023 12:46 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
New Haryana director general of police: UPSC shortlists three IPS officers
Anti-corruption bureau director general Shatrujeet Kapur likely to succeed PK Agrawal as the new director general of police of Haryana
Updated on Aug 11, 2023 12:29 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
New Haryana DGP: UPSC to shortlist three IPS officers on August 10
The UPSC communique to the Haryana government came after the latter omitted name of Yadava, the senior most IPS officer in the cadre, from the proposal containing the names of nine IPS officers to the UPSC for shortlisting three officers for the job of state police chief. Yadava who remained Haryana DGP from 2019 to 2021 is on central deputation.
Updated on Aug 04, 2023 12:43 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
Congress MLA controlled realty company siphoned ₹107 cr homebuyers’ money: ED
During search operations, four luxury cars with acquisition value of about ₹4 crore, jewellery worth ₹14.5 lakh and Rs. 4.5 lakh cash were seized, ED said.
Updated on Jul 31, 2023 04:05 PM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
Palwal: 26-yr-old MP man gets death sentence for raping, killing 6-yr-old girl
Special fast track court holding trial of offences under the POCSO Act asks NCPCR to prepare database and put in place safety measure for vulnerable migrant kids
Updated on Jul 30, 2023 09:50 PM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
New DGP: Haryana refuses to send Manoj Yadava’s name to UPSC
The Haryana government’s move is aimed at ensuring that three IPS officers serving in the state- Muhammad Akil and RC Mishra of the 1989 batch and Shatrujeet Kapur, 1990-batch, get empaneled on the basis of seniority, merit and experience by the UPSC.
Updated on Jul 28, 2023 12:32 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
Revival of Saraswati river’s old channels can help drain flood waters: CERSR
CERSR director Prof AR Chaudhri said if the ancient channel ways were left as they were, flooding in majority of the houses and damage to crops could have been minimised. He added that the old channels of Saraswati river form a dense network measuring more than 3,000 km in nearly all Haryana districts and could be used as a fast sink for flood waters in future.
Updated on Jul 27, 2023 01:21 AM IST
Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
