BDA boss orders inquiry against staff for 'improper conduct' in land allotment

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) commissioner has ordered an inquiry against the authority’s staff for deliberate ommission and commission, irregularities and improper conduct in handling the allotment of 11,600 sq ft to people who gave up their land for a public park.

Based on a report by the authority’s deputy commissioner (Land Acquisition) on June 9, the BDA Commissioner Sham Bhatt referred the matter to the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) for an enquiry into the entire case.

The case refers to providing alternative sites to one Jayaram and others who had given up 13 guntas of their land in Atthiguppe village in 1973 for a public park in RPC Layout.

Following a long legal battle, the BDA alloted the affected parties a 40x60 feet site in HSR Layout, Sector 2 in 2004.

But the land losers were not satisfied and served a legal notice in 2007 on the BDA, asking it to implement the Board Resolution of 1973, as per which the authority should give them alternative land to the tune of 13 guntas.

The aggrieved parties approached the BDA earlier this year to secure the same. A note was prepared by the case worker, manager, Assistant Commissioner (R&R) and the Law Officer-1 to give the affected parties 11,600 sq ft of land in survey Nos 746/11, 746/12, 746/13, 746/14, 746/15 and 746/4 in 6th Block Nagarabhavi.

But when the BDA deputy commissioner (Land Acquisition) inquired into it, he found “... a lot of mischief, irregularities, improper action, deliberate acts of omission and commission on the part of some officials of this authority.”

Several documents were found missing, including copies of direct instructions from the BDA commissioner and scanned pages of other representations made by the commissioners but signed only by the AC (R&R). Besides, it was found that note sheets were not maintained properly, and High Court judgments vital to the case were deliberately removed.

Based on this information, the BDA commissioner has recommended an enquiry against the officials who handled the case.

BDA officials insist that it’s not an isolated case. There are similar cases of “missing” files and deliberate removal of pages to favour private parties. The BMTF is said to be looking into two other BDA misappropriation cases dealing with allotment of alternative sites.

BMTF chief R P Sharma on Saturday confirmed receiving the case of Jayaram and others. Bhatt was unavailable for comment.