BMTF slaps notice on Ashoka in illegal land allotment case

Helped Bangalore Mayor acquire 8 acres of Bagair Hukum land

The Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) on Monday served a notice on Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka, who also holds the Home portfolio, to appear before it in connection with the alleged illegal allotment of land to Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy and his wife K Prabha.

The notice was served on Ashoka under Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code for recommending the allotment of eight acres of Bagair Hukum land (government land cultivated by landless labourers) to the Murthys in Somanahalli village under Uttarahalli hobli in the Bangalore South constituency in 2004. The minister has been asked to appear before the Task Force within three days of receiving the notice.

As MLA of the Bangalore South constituency, Ashoka headed the Bagair Hukum Land Grant Committee in his constituency in 2004 and gave away land to the couple.

Hidden facts

This year in June, the sub-divisional magistrate cancelled the allotment after it was found that the Mayor and his wife had falsely declared themselves as landless labourers.

Prabha had also hidden the fact that she was Murthy’s wife and merely stated in the declaration that she was the daughter of Kenchappa. She also stated that she had not applied for land for herself, but for her grandmother who was into farming.

On August 15, Deccan Herald broke the story about the cancellation of land to the Murthys.

Clarification sought

A day after the report appeared, the Mayor said it was Ashoka who was instrumental in the government allotting him the land.

Based on the report, the BMTF police registered a case against Murthy and his wife and issued a notice to them to appear before them in person to clarify why they had given a false declaration.

Sources in the BMTF said Murthy and his wife had reportedly stated in their submission that they had not applied for land on their own, but were compelled to do so. They also admitted that Ashoka had helped them acquire it.

When the police landed at Ashoka’s official residence on Saturday to serve the notice, he was away, BMTF sources said. His subordinates refused to accept the notice saying Ashoka alone was entitled to receive it.

According to legal experts, Ashoka may face arrest if he fails to give a satisfactory reply to the illegal allotment of land to the Murthys.
Ashoka was not available for comment.