Bangalore Mirror; Atul Chaturvedi; Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Beneficiaries include three ex-Congress ministers; BDA had cancelled auctions of the five sites because they fetched a ‘low’ price of Rs 1.5 cr two years ago
At least three former ministers, all from the Congress, were last week allotted 50x80 sites in the upscale sector 3 of HSR Layout for paltry sums. What smacks of a scam is the manner in which the sites were allotted. The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) acted against its own rules by handing over commercial sites which can only be auctioned to ensure the best price.
Everything was done in a hush-hush way. If auctioned, each plot would have fetched close to Rs 3 crore, but they were given to the former ministers for Rs 27 lakh each, a source in the BDA told Bangalore Mirror.
The beneficiaries are R Ramalinga Reddy (site no 1090/I), Baburao Chavan (site no 1090/F) and Iqbal Ansari (site no 1090/K). Two others were also allotted sites at the same time in the same area. They are Monica Das (site no 1090/E) and B P Singh (1090/L). The antecedents of these two people are not known.
According to a political source, the ministers had been allotted sites by the previous governments, but could not take possession because of various reasons, including litigation. But facing allegations from the opposition of his family gobbling up plots, Yeddyurappa chose to neutralise the Congress threat by allotting sites to the trio.
Documents accessed by BM show that the BDA had organised an auction of these very sites on May 20, 2008. Each site attracted a bid of over Rs 1.5 crore. However, the BDA cancelled the auction stating that the amount was very low, possibly because of recession, and decided to conduct another auction at a later date. Instead, each plot was allotted for Rs 27 lakh.
The allotment was made despite some officials warning BDA commissioner Bharat Lal Meena that it would not only violate rules but also cause a huge loss to the exchequer.
Officials in the CM’s office and the BDA admitted that the sites had been allotted, but refused to answer any question on the issue.
What beneficiaries say
R Ramalinga Reddy said he is not aware that the site allotted to him is a commercial plot which can only be auctioned. He said, “I and former minister Baburao Chavan were allotted sites by former chief minister S M Krishna under his discretionary quota (‘G’ category). But since the sites were under litigation, I requested BDA to allot me an alternative site. I haven’t been informed as yet that I have been allotted a site in HSR Sector 3. If the site was meant for auction, I will ask the officials to give me another one. I don’t want a site that is under litigation. I want a site for my personal use and not to sell at a huge premium at a later date.”
Former labour minister Iqbal Ansari has a different story. He had been allotted a 50x80 site in OMBR Layout when Dharam Singh was the CM, but it was under litigation.
“After I lost the election in 2008, I fenced the site, but it was demolished by BDA officials. Instead, then BDA commissioner Shankarlinge Gowda offered a 40x80 site, which I refused and insisted on a 50x80 site. There was no communication from the BDA for the last two years. Last week, they told me that I have been allotted a 50x80 site in HSR layout Sector 3. I have paid Rs 27 lakh for the site,” he said.
He is not aware that he has been allotted a commercial site that was meant to be auctioned. He said, “I asked officials to give me either my site in OMBR Layout or some other plot. I also asked them to give me a site within the city limits. I am not aware that the site allotted to me now was reserved for auction.”
Baburao Chavan said, “I am fighting for the last eight years and I heard that BDA has now given me a alternative site in HSR Layout, but I haven’t got any documents. If the site in HSR Layout is again found to be under litigation, then I will ask the officers to give me a clean site.”
RTI activist and Kengeri resident B M Shivakumar, who was instrumental in unearthing the alternative sites scam in the BDA, said, “When thousands of people are waiting for sites from the government, the BDA officials have chosen to allot plots to those who are wealthy and influential. There is foulplay in the whole exercise as sites that can fetch crores of rupees are being allotted for paltry sums. This needs to be investigated.”
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