Spl court will bring land sharks to book, says CM

Vested with more powers than ACB and Lokayukta

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said there was pressure on him not to set up a special court to try cases of government land grab.

In his address after inaugurating the special court, Siddaramaiah said the court will have powers to jail land grabbers for one year to three years and impose a penalty of Rs 25,000.

Any individual may lodge a complaint of land grabbing. The Chief Minister said: “The land sharks are so emboldened today that they are capable of buying up anybody, from government to judges and ministers. Hence, a special court was set up.”

Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs T B Jayachandra said the special court was vested with more powers than the Anti-Corruption Bureau and Lokayukta.

What the court does

The government has appointed retired high court judge Justice H N Narayan and two retired district judges, R H Reddy and Balakrishna B, as judicial members. Two officers of the rank of deputy commissioner of a district and above have not been appointed yet.

The court has suo motu powers to take up cases. Sources in the government said the court can try individual land grabbers but it cannot try officials who connived with the land sharks.

To try the officials, aggrieved people should approach the Anti-Corruption Bureau or the Lokayukta.