Lokayukta police raid houses of senior officers over illegal land transfer

Officials accused of creating fake documents for gain

The Lokayukta police on Sunday raided the houses of senior officials from Bengaluru Urban district administration and Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) for forging documents and illegally transferring land belonging to Vijaya Bank Employees’ Housing Cooperative Society Limited on Bannerghatta Road in the name of a dead man.

The Lokayukta police seized some documents during the raids conducted on the housess of Tahsildar (Bengaluru South) Dr Dayanand, Deputy Tahsildar Uma, Revenue Inspector S Ravindra, Shirastedar Mailarappa, Surveyor Ram Rathod, all serving in Bengaluru South tahsildar’s office, and Additional Land Acquisition Officer, Bangalore Development Authority , Dr B Sudha.

These government officers are accused of creating fake documents and issuing conversion orders to help private persons for financial gains.

The police also raided the houses of subordinate staff in Bengaluru Urban district deputy commissioner’s office, as well as four private individuals Narayanswamy, Seetharam, Ramakrishna, all siblings, and Ethiraj.

The members of Vijaya Bank Employees’ Housing Co-operative Society (VBEHCS) had found that the entire extent of 1.34 acres of agricultural land at their layout, earmarked as park and relinquished to the BDA, was illegally converted to residential purpose.

History
The BDA had acquired the said land, along with other land, for the layout in Bilekahalli in 1994. The original owner of 1.34 acre of land K Abbayappa died in 2001.

But an application was filed before the Bengaluru South taluk administration, in 2014, in the name of Abbayappa for conversion of the land.

Taluk officials forwarded the file to the Bangalore Development Authority and a no-objection certificate (NoC) was issued. Taluk officials moved the file to the Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner, who approved the diversion of land use.

The VBEHCS had filed complaint with the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force and the Lokayukta police, alleging illegalities and irregularities.

The housing society also found that even before the conversion took place in January 2015, there was a sale agreement for 34 guntas between three sons of Abbayappa and Ethiraj (buyer), a resident of JP Nagar in November 2014.

According to Ramakanth Shetty of Vijaya Bank Employees’ Housing Co-operative Society, the sale agreement in favour of Ethiraj, also known as Raju among revenue officials, came to light in July 2015.

“Abbayappa’s sons Narayanaswamy, Seetharam and Ramakrishna have entered into this sale agreement on November 20, 2014 with Ethiraj for a consideration of Rs 4.83 crore. Only a thorough investigation can throw more light as to who all were behind this illegal process involving revenue officials,” he said.

Bengaluru Urban district Deputy Commissioner V Shankar said disciplinary action had been initiated against Bengaluru South Tahsildar Dr Dayanand and others for misleading his office in connection with the property.