'BJP legislator suppressed facts to get BDA site'

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator M Srinivas, who represents Rajarajeshwarinagar constituency in the City, is in the eye of a controversy following an allegation that he illegally got a G category site measuring 4,000 sq ft from Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) in Nagarabavi 2nd Stage.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Y H Srinivas, coordinator, Brashtachara Virodhi Vedike, alleged that the BDA had violated all the rules while allotting a 50x80 ft site to M Srinivas at 10th Block, Nagarabavi, 2nd Stage, under the G Category.

He alleged that the MLA submitted an affidavit to the BDA on December 24, 2009, stating that he and his family members do not own any site allotted by the BDA. Also, his house at Jayanagar 7th Block was a rented one. M Srinivas purchased the site at Nagarbhavi for Rs 8.58 lakh, whereas the then market value of the land was over Rs two crore.

The documents provided by Y H Srinivas to Deccan Herald shows that the legislator’s Jayanagar house, where he currently resides, is worth Rs 1.5 crore. It is his own property and not a rented one.

In the details of his assets submitted to the Lokayukta, M Srinivas mentions about the properties held by him and family. It includes a three-floor building, a factory shed and commercial buildings in the name of his wife, all of which are situated at Konanakunte.

According to the BDA site allotment rule, 1984, any person or his family members who already have a property in Bangalore can not claim a ‘G category’ site. “The MLA made a false declaration and got the site illegally allotted by the BDA on December 29, 2009 when Siddaiah was the BDA commissioner,” alleged Y H Srinivas. The Vedike has urged the government to take back the site from the MLA and file a criminal case against him under Section 420 of the IPC.

MLA denies charges

Refuting all the allegations, M Srinivas, said: “All the accusations hurled at me are false. The Vedike is trying to defame me since the Assembly elections are round the corner. I have been a two-term member of the BDA and I am aware of the rules and guidelines. I was given the ‘G’ Category site by adhering to all the rules of BDA and the government. I will file a def­amation case against the Vedike for levelling false cha­rges.”