State govt strips BMTF of powers

The State government has ‘clipped the wings’ of the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF), which had caused enough embarrassment to three ministers, Bangalore Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy, his wife K Prabha, corporators, top bureaucrats, BDA and BBMP officials.

Politicians and bureaucrats had to face several anxious moments ever since Dr R P Sharma took over as the Additional Director General of Police of the BMTF, one-and-half years ago.

The order passed by the Urban Development Department says that it supersedes all orders and notifications issued subsequent to the government order dated March 19, 1996. It says the powers and the functions conferred on the BMTF from 1996 to February 2011 stand superseded.

In addition to the enactments mentioned in the order (March 19), BMTF is empowered to inquire into offences pertaining to government land and property under the following laws in the Bangalore Metropolitan area: the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, Karnataka Land Reforms Act, Inam Abolition Act, the BMRDA Act and the Karnataka SC/ST (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain Lands) Act, 1978.

The order said the BMTF could register a case and proceed with its investigation if the facts contained in the complaint disclose the offences under the Special Acts mentioned in a government order in 1996 and the other orders mentioned earlier, read with or without those relevant under the Indian Penal Code and the Karnataka Police Act.

It added that if the complaint disclosed commission of offences only under the Indian Penal Code or under the Karnataka Police Act, then it will not be competent on the part of the BMTF to proceed with the investigation thereof.

The latest order has created quite a flutter in administrative circles, with everyone being eager to know the next course of Sharma’s action. Speaking to reporters, Sharma said he had not seen the copy of the order. The BMTF had acted in accordance with the law of the land and the notification of the Home Department, he said.

Dr Sharma said, “We are conscious of our powers given through the notification. We never exceeded any immunity conferred on us under Section 156(2) of the CrPC, but we are aware of the thinking of the parliamentary legislature and scope of the police functioning under the mandate of the CrPC.”

About the jurisdiction of the BMTF being reduced, Sharma said policing is a complete word and administrative concern should not be a reason for curtailment of powers.

He said, “There cannot be a statutory ban on the investigation. It cannot happen that a police officer registers a case under the Karnataka Land Revenue Act and then lets the accused go scot-free, simply because the offence does not come under his jurisdiction.”