Lokayukta court takes cognizance of case against DVS

The Special Lokayukta Court on Monday took cognizance of a case involving former Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda.

According to a private complaint filed by Nagalakshmi Bai, Gowda had illegally acquired three properties over the past four years in Bangalore and Puttur in Dakshina Kannada district. Judge N K Sudhindra Rao posted the matter to September 22, after issuing directions to the complainant to give the testimony at the next hearing.

According to the complaint, Gowda, in 2008, bought 7.5 guntas of gomala land at Bagalur in Jala hobli in the name of his wife, Datty. It is alleged that the 7.5 guntas was part of the 29 acres of land earmarked for the SC/STs by the government. It is claimed that the land was initially purchased by a person named Ravi and later transfered in the name of Datty for Rs 4.7 lakh.

In his hometown Puttur, Gowda bought two sites admeasuring 10 cents, Bai alleged. It is said that Gowda, as an MLA in 1998, had acquired 10 cents of government land through the Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner.  In the third land deal, Gowda, using his position as a party leader, had got a BDA site alloted to himself in Bangalore’s HSR Layout under the discretionary ‘G’ category.

It is alleged that the site was allotted in 2007 to Gowda and he amalgamated his property with the adjacent site allotted to Food and Civil Supplies Minister D N Jeevaraj.
The complaint also alleges that Gowda did not disclose the previous two land deals to the BDA and had signed an affidavit claiming he did not own any site in his name or in the names of his family members.

It is alleged that Gowda, when he resigned as MP and became MLC, none of the above land deals were mentioned in his election affidavit or in his assets and liabilities submitted to the Lokayukta. Gowda’s wife Datty and Ravi R are also accused in the case.