Complaint against former PM, others posted to Oct 4

The Lokyukta Court today posted for orders to October 4, a private complaint filed against former Prime Minister H D Devegowda, External Affairs Minister
S M Krishna, former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and others, alleging irregularities in acquisition of farmers' lands for the Bangalore-Mysore Express Highway project.

Judge N K Sudhindra Rao posted the complaint by social activist T J Abraham to Oct 4 for orders after Abraham completed his submissions on some clarifications sought by the court.

Abraham also filed an application before the court, specifying the role of each of the persons named in the case.

On Aug 27 Abraham had filed two applications before the court. In the first, he prayed that the court attach the entire extent of 6,999 acres representing alleged fraudulent execution of the toll road project and procure a report of all transactions that were made with respect to it.

In his second application, Abraham prayed that the court exercise the power conferred under Section 4 of the Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance to direct the S.P.,Lokayukta Police, to forthwith attach the total toll illegally collected by NICE, NECEL or through its agents at any time upon the peripheral road, more particularly identified in the Framework Agreement dated April 3, 1997 as modified from time to time.

Abraham who had also filed a synopsis along with tabular presentation of claims made in the complaint, submitted that basic aims of the project,which was to have a Bangalore-Mysore Express Highway at an investment of Rs 522 crore by the consortium to a create a concrete road of international standards, had not been fulfilled at all and the "very purpose of the project had been defeated".

There are a total of 102 accused, including former Chief Minister N Dharam Singh, Ashok Kheny, Managing Director NICE, Baba Kalyani, CMD Bharat Forge, Narayan Vaghul, Chairman ICICI, 57 IAS officers, former Advocate General Ashok Haranahally and sitting High Court Judge, H S Kempanna and William Weld, former Governor of Massachusetts U S A (who was a part of a consortium).

The complaint was filed on July 18.