Illegal layout case opens can of worms in Karnataka Assembly

The Karnataka Assembly on Wednesday saw a Pandora’s Box open when Byatarayanapura Congress MLA Krishna Byre Gowda said fake BBMP khatas were used to sell sites at an illegal layout in his constituency.

Gowda, who raised this through a calling attention motion, triggered off BJP MLAs who pounced on Revenue Minister R Ashoka over land-related frauds in Bengaluru.

“There’s a 16-acre illegal layout in my constituency where 70 sites have been registered on the basis of bogus BBMP khatas,” Gowda said. “The BBMP itself lodged a complaint with the sub-registrar. Still, registration of sites did not stop,” he said.

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The illegal layout is in Kattigenahalli in Yelahanka taluk.

“After I raised the issue with the revenue secretary and inspector-general of registration, a police complaint was filed. But, the police are just sitting on it,” Gowda said. “Of the four sub-registrars involved, only two have faced disciplinary action.”

According to Gowda, one of the sub-registrars told the district registrar that checking the authenticity of documents was not his job. “Can I create a fake document claiming ownership of Vidhana Soudha? Will that be registered, too?” the former minister said. “There's loot happening in sub-registrar offices.”

MLAs duped

Hosdurga BJP MLA Goolihatti Shekhar rose to tell Ashoka that he and another MLA were duped. “Malavalli Narendra Swamy, Abhay Patil and I were allotted ‘G’ category sites of the BDA. But, someone sold off our sites based on fake documents,” Shekhar said. “If this can happen to MLAs, imagine what will happen to other citizens!”

Mahadevapura BJP MLA Aravind Limbavali seemed to poke Ashoka. “I have an interesting case. Pratibha Prahlad (renowned dancer) was given a site many years ago, which she hasn’t been able to take possession of. Such is the state-of-affairs in the revenue department, which I hoped would improve under Ashoka,” he said.

‘Ready to fight land mafia’

In his reply, Ashoka said two sub-registrars were suspended and FIRs filed in three police stations in connection with the illegal Kattigenahalli layout. “Tell me what needs to be done. I’m ready to do whatever it takes to fight this land mafia,” Ashoka said.

Gowda said a proper police investigation would suffice for now. “There’s scope to tighten the existing law so that corrective powers can be given,” he said. Ashoka said he would examine tweaking the law.