Housing board sits on Ravi case

Three months after the Lokayukta police wrote to the Karnataka Housing Board (KHB) recommending the cancellation of five sites allotted to BJP MLA C T Ravi (now minister), the KHB has still not acted on it.

The reason cited by the KHB is that all the original documents pertaining to the sites are with the Lokayukta court and hence they cannot proceed on it till they receive the files back.

A charge sheet submitted by the Lokayukta police on April 3, 2012, had held his wife Pallavi and others responsible for irregularities in obtaining the five sites, but absolved Ravi, as they claimed no evidence or wrongdoings were found against him.

The court ordered a re-investigation, but finding the same report submitted again, took cognisance of the case and issued summons to all, including Ravi.

At the time of submitting the charge sheet, the ADGP of Lokayukta H N S Rao had written to the KHB, recommending the cancellation of allotment of sites.

However, in a letter dated May 10, 2012, the KHB expressed its inability to do so. KHB Commissioner S N Jayaram said all the original files pertaining to the allotment were handed over to the Lokayukta, which in turn had submitted them to the court.

“As a result, we have not taken any action. We have asked them to give us back the original files. Once they return the files, then they can be placed before the Board,” he said.

Jayaram said they could not pursue the matter based on their own records, and needed original files to proceed.

A C Kumar, closely involved in the case, dismissed the idea. “The commissioner cannot say such a thing. They should have applied to the court for a certified copy and since they allot the sites, they have the sole authority to cancel it as well. It is also known that when they give out these documents, they keep a set for their reference,” he said.

As of now, the complainants are planning to approach the court making the KHB commissioner a party to the case for not cancelling the site allotment. Their other complaint to the court has been that Pallavi had submitted a building plan for approval to the Chikmagalur Urban Development Authority (CUDA), just a week after the charge sheet was submitted by the Lokayukta police.

Devi Prasad’s advocate Bharath Kumar said, “This plan sent for sanction after the charge sheet has already been passed by the Nagara Sabhe and is only pending the Commissioner’s signature at CUDA.”