Governor: Krishnappa's continuation as housing minister untenable

Governor Vajubai Vala has objected to the continuation of M Krishnappa as housing minister on the grounds that his name figures in a land scam. The Governor on Wednesday wrote a letter to this effect to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, according to sources in the Secretariat.

Former corporator N R Ramesh of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had complained to the Governor that the minister had committed irregularities in acquisition of agricultural land in Vajarahalli and Raghuvanahalli off Kanakapura road in Bengaluru South taluk.

He had raised questions about Krishnappa’s continuation as minister. Based on the complaint, the Governor sought an explanation from the chief minister about what action he would take against Krishnappa, it is said.

The division bench of the Karnataka High Court had in April quashed the acquisition of 189 acres of land for a housing cooperative society in Vajarahalli and Raghuvanahalli.

The court had held that the land was acquired by middleman M Krishnappa, who is now housing minister, using political influence in favour of Bangalore City Cooperative Housing Society Ltd.

The high court had held that it was Krishnappa who received the compensation from the government for the land and not the villagers who had parted with the land for the society. However, the minister had denied his role in the case. It is learnt that the governor referred to the high court’s observations in his letter to the chief minister.