BMTF summons former CM Shettar

The Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) has summoned former chief minister Jagadish Shettar to appear before an investigating officer on October 29.

Shettar has been summoned in connection with allotment of land to one Sundaresh, son of Suryanarayana Rao, a freedom fighter.

Based on a complaint filed by the office-bearers of Vokkaliga Sangha, the BMTF has summoned Shettar. The complainants alleged that many rules were flouted by the Jagadish Shettar government while granting land to Sundaresh.

Under a scheme for freedom fighters, the State government had ordered allotment of four acres of agriculture land to Suryanarayana Rao near ITPL on March 16, 1967. However, the revenue department objected to the allotment saying that the land should be granted through deputy commissioner and tahsildar.

The differences of opinion within the government resulted in denial of land to the beneficiary.

Rao approached the High Court challenging the government action, but he passed away in 1989. Sundaresh continued the legal battle after his father’s demise and won the case in 2010. Subsequently, the Revenue department granted four acres to Sundaresh at Srigandha Kaval village on Magadi Road in Yeshwantpur hobli of Bangalore North taluk.

The office-bearers alleged that the beneficiary was granted a land converted for commercial purpose instead of agriculture land as mandated under the law. They said that the land granted to Sundaresh had benefitted a builder.

They alleged that the land was granted in violation of the Karnataka Land Grant Act and a High Court order. One of the office-bearers Prasad said that a commercial land, whose market value was Rs 24.5 crore, was granted to Sundaresh for Rs six crore.
DH News Service