Lokayukta notice to Spl DC for inaction over land grab

The Lokayukta has issued a show-cause notice to Special Deputy Commissioner (Bengaluru Urban) for inaction in connection with the alleged grabbing of 180 acres of land in Manavarthe Kaval (Choodanahalli) at Bengaluru South taluk.

The Lokayukta has taken up a suo motu enquiry based on the complaint by freedom fighter H S Doreswamy and has issued three notices to the Special DC to submit a status report on action taken to recover the land. However, the official neither appeared nor submitted any report.

The complaint was filed in 2015 and there were allegations that revenue documents were fabricated in favour of land grabbers. It was revealed that after several rounds of litigation, a fresh suit was filed before a civil court in 2014 for the declaration of title. The court had issued an interim order of injunction, restraining the government and its officers from dispossessing the applicants from the land.

On January 25, 2018, an officer appeared before Lokayukta Justice P Vishwanath Shetty on behalf the Special DC. The Lokayukta directed the special deputy commissioner to submit a status report by May 30. "The official was directed to submit the report by July 31. However, the Special DC did not appear. The Lokayukta has issued a show-cause notice and directed him to appear on August 28," an official said.

"He (special DC) shall submit his explanation. He is also directed to comply with the earlier order by the next date of hearing," Justice Shetty stated in the order.

In the earlier order, the Lokayukta had asked the Special DC to submit details of all the legal proceedings initiated and disposed of, judgments and orders passed by all the courts, and details of all the pending proceedings in all the courts in connection with the land. The Lokayukta had also sought an explanation if the case may have to be transferred to special court for land grabbing cases.

What is the case According to the complaint, till the year 1941, about 310 acres and 18 guntas of land in Survey Number 137 at Manavarthe Kaval was being cultivated by one Doddahanumaiah and others. As they were not paying the land revenue, the land was taken over by the government as "Government Pada". On February 3, 1968, and January 8, 1969, members of one family purchased 180 acres of land from 18 people and 10 acres from each person. The land was granted earlier by the government to the farmers free of cost and could not have been alienated, which has been given to the possession of the farmers, the complainant claimed.