Did the Karnataka minister get three pieces of lands allotted fraudulently?
23 Jun, 2014RTI activist K R Ravindra has filed a complaint with the Lokayukta against Minister for Housing M.H. Ambareesh for availing three housing sites from the urban development authorities of the state of Mysore. As per rules, a citizen is entitled to be allotted only one site from an urban development authority (UDA) in the state.
Ravindra had filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act Ambareesh and based on the reply, he has alleged that Ambareesh has been allotted three sites which is clear in violation of the rules. As per the allegation, the sites are at Bangalore, Mysore and Mandya:
· On January 16, 1986, he got a 78X 50 ft site (No 1260) in G and H Block Layout, JCST, Kuvempunagar, Mysore for which he paid Rs 36,444. He gave the residential address to Mysore Urban Development Authority as No 172, II Stage, J P Nagar, Bangalore and paid Rs. 36,444/-.
· In 1987, he got another 120X80 ft plot at J P Nagar (Sarakki) from the Bangalore Development Authority for which he paid Rs 93,639. He gave the residential address as 412, Woodlands Hotel, Sampangi Tank Road, Bangalore and the hotel address was duly accepted by the BDA.
· On March 6, 1999, he applied for another plot and was allotted a 50X80 site (now with House No 917) on March 23, 2002, under the MP quota for which he paid Rs. 3 lakh. He divided it into two parts and sold it to two buyers - one portion (25X80 ft) was sold to K Govindaraju, for Rs 1.75 lakhs while the other (also 25X80 ft) was sold to S Ajith for Rs 3.87 lakh.
It has been claimed that the minister procured the sites by submitting false documents to get land at a price lower than the open market. As per Section 12 (2) of the Karnataka Urban Development Authorities (Allotment of Sites) Rules of 1991, any person who owns a site or house in any part of the state becomes ineligible for another site or house from any authority or housing board in the state. The complaint alleges that the Minister submitted false affidavits to both MUDA and BDA, suppressing the fact that he had already been allotted a site in Mandya. Further, these assets were not declared by the Ravindra in his election affidavit.