JOIN USThe Special Lokayukta Court had handed over the probe to the Lokayukta police following a complaint filed by businessman Alam Pasha, alleging Nirani of denotification of land.
The matter has been adjourned to January 13.
Alam Pasha had filed a private complaint with the Special Lokayukta Court alleging that the minister had floated several companies like MRN Sugars and Power Limited, Vijayashree Sugar and Power Private Limited, Sai Priya Sugars Limited, Shakti Steels and Power Industries Limited, Nirani Cements and Nirani Sugars.
Land totalling 1,580 acres is alleged to have been allocated to the companies at the Global Investors’ Meet, even though none of them are functional. Moreover, the companies are said to have raised a project loan of Rs 500 crore from different banks by projecting inflated net worth.
The minister is also accused of denotifying 20 acres of land in Hoovinayakanahalli and causing a loss to the tune of Rs 15 crore to the State exchequer.
In another instance, Nirani is accused of denotifying 150 acres of land in Kengelkempohalli, Averhalli, Chandhanavasahalli and other villages in Dobbespet industrial area of Nelamangala taluk. This is supposed to have caused a loss of Rs 200 crore to the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB), which had already spent a considerable amount of funds for developing the infrastructure in the area.