BENGALURU: In what could be the first salvo against the BJP, fired by the Congress, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has reportedly ensured that a damaging denotification case against former Chief Minister and BJP State President B. S. Yeddyurappa is re-opened.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which is under the direct control of the CM, has registered two FIRs against Mr. Yeddyurappa, in a span of seven days, for allegedly denotifying 257.20 acres of land acquired for the formation of B. Shivaram Karanth Layout. The ACB has summoned him to appear for questioning on Saturday.
The move comes just two weeks after state Energy Minister D. K. Shivakumar and his relatives' residences were raided by the Income Tax Department officials. After the raids, the CM had held an unofficial meeting with the top brass of the ACB, where he had reportedly directed the officials to reopen major cases of corruption filed against BJP leaders. BJP National President Amit Shah's scathing attack against Mr. Siddaramaiah on corruption too might have instigated the CM.
What is the allegation?
Former Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa has been accused of denotifying the land acquired for the purpose of forming B. Shivaram Karanth layout at North Taluk, Yelahanka Hobli.
However, Mr. Yeddyurappa has denotified the land despite the BDA authorities giving a negative report on the same.
The BDA authorities had said that since the land was located in the middle of the land acquired for the layout it would be difficult for BDA to form the layout.
Not heeding to BDA's report, Mr. Yeddyurappa had denotified the land, which landed him in legal entangle.
Mr. Yeddyurappa allegedly misused his office and denotified the land, though he had no authority, for pecuniary gains from the land owners and thereby caused huge loss to the state exchequer.
Due to his act, the BDA had to shelve the entire project of forming the Layout, as the denotified lands fell in the middle of the proposed layout.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau is likely to register multiple FIRs against him based on the survey numbers that he ordered for denotification.
Main accused in the case
- B. S. Yeddyurappa, the then Chief Minister
- Basavarajendra H, the then Special Land Acquisition Officer, BDA
- Premchandra, the then Under Secretary, Department of Urban Development
- Basavaraju, the then Deputy Secretary, Department of Urban Development
- Subir Harisingh, the then Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Urban Development
CM sends ACB after BJP leader
- The ACB registered two FIRs based on a complaint filed by one, Dr. Ayyappa, the Convenor of Jana Saamanyara Vedike and former Vice-Chancellor of a private university, on June 6. The first FIR was registered on August 10 while the second was registered on Thursday.
- ACB also slapped a police notice on the BJP's chief ministerial candidate, asking BSY to appear before them on Saturday, as there is need to question him and record his statement regarding the case. The BJP State President is said to have received the notice.
- The ACB officials have booked Mr. Yeddyurappa and others under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act and the IPC.
