When Bangalore municipal corporation limits expanded eight years ago from 200 sq km to 830 sq km, irregularities and embezzlements too increased proportionately. In the last five years, BBMP has become synonymous with scams, the most infamous one being the fake bills scam of Rs 1,439 crore.
Yet, instead of punishing the guilty, the accused persons ganged up and made sure that the whistle-blowers were harassed, humiliated in public, forced to leave the institution and take voluntary retirement. Reports by the whistle-blowers with detailed recommendations on how to check such malpractices and disciplinary action against the erring officials and their conduits, were consigned to dustbin.
Here’s a look at some of the major scams that rocked BBMP in the past:
Fake bills scam
Contractors submitted fake bills at BBMP, BDA, BWSSB for the same works and drew money from all the three civic agencies in connivance with the officials. When the elected body was not in place in the BBMP between 2007 and 2010, officials had a free run. During that period, the maximum scams took place.
Under the fake bills scam, contractors connived with officials of BBMP, BDA and BWSSB to take up public works of same nature at localities, where all the three civic agencies had to carry out works. A few months later bills were submitted to all the three places and money was drawn. There were many instances where no work was carried out but money was drawn from all the three civic agencies based on bogus bills.
The police station of the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force, which was initially probing the case, was set on fire. The then Chief Engineer of TVCC, N Devaraju, was harassed in the BBMP Council and even assaulted in his chamber for his report.
n Scale of the scam: Rs 1,439 crore
n Expanse: Rajarajeshwarinagar, Gandhi Nagar and Malleswaram Assembly constituencies between 2007 and 2011.
n Exposed by: BBMP's Technical Viligance Cell under Commissioner (TVCC)
n Status: Under Criminal Investigation Department (CID) investigations for last four years; 56 chargesheets filed.
Garbage scam
Contractors siphoned off money without clearing waste. Bills were claimed. The registration number of ‘trucks’ which were shown in the bills as transported waste, were in fact, two-wheelers, luxury cars and auto-rickshaws. Many contractors named as accused by BMTF were not blacklisted while officials involved in the scam continue to enjoy patronage without any action against them.
n Scale of the scam: Perceived to be over Rs 1,000 crore.
n Expanse: Across Bengaluru from 2007 till date
n Exposed by: Politicians and RTI activists
n Status: BMTF investigation named 30 contractors and many BBMP engineers.
Transferable Development Rights (TDR) scam
TDR is a certificate issued by the BBMP to those whose properties are acquired for various public works such as widening of roads. Instead of paying money, the cash-strapped Palike issues TDR, which allows the owner of a TDR to construct extra floor in the existing building or sell it those who want to construct extra floor without the Floor Area Ratio stipulated by the Palike.
A scrutiny of 46 TDR files revealed a scam running into thousands of crores of rupees. The TDRs were issued on properties out of the BBMP limits, which is illegal. Old roads which existed decades ago were now shown as roads to be widened, for which TDRs were given to owners of properties on these ‘roads’.
n Scale of the scam: Matter still under investigation, but believed to be of Rs 5,000 crore
n Expanse: Across Bengaluru, from 1999 to December 2014.
n Exposed by: Former corporator N R Ramesh
n Status: BMTF investigation reveals involvement of 19 officials including zonal chiefs of eight BBMP
zones. Case booked under Sections 409, 420, 218 and 120 (B) of IPC and Section 441 and 436 (A) of Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act.
Stormwater drain scam
To revive the three important valleys of Bengaluru, namely Vrushabhavathi, Koramangala-Challaghatta and Hebbal valleys, the Centre granted funds under the JnNURM, which was meant for remodeling of SWDs. The project was also meant for reviving tanks in the City as SWDs are primarily their feeder canals.
According to D J Bhadra, Principal Accountant General (General and Social Sector Audit), a notional loss of Rs 149.59 crore, calculated through the findings of the report, has been found in the Palike’s implementation of the project.
Many anomalies were found in the implementation of JnNURM. Funds released to pay contractors of stormwater drains (SWDs) were diverted by the BBMP for refurbishment of the office of the chief engineer, SWD, at Jayanagar.
n Scale of the scam: Loss of Rs 149.59 crore
n Expanse: Across the City between 2007 and 2011
n Exposed by: Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)
n Status: Report in cold storage
Advertisement scam
BBMP overlooked the presence of 23,000 hoardings across Bengaluru and lost revenue of about Rs 2,000 crore.
n Scale of the scam: Claimed to be about Rs 2,000 crore
n Expanse: Across the City
n Exposed by: K Mathai, Assistant Commissioner of Advertisement Division, BBMP.
n Status: Report suppressed
Accounts scam
Swindling of money by tampering with documents by accounts section officers.
n Scale of the scam: Rs 49 crore
n Expanse: BBMP head office
n Exposed by: BBMP commissioner when his signature was faked
n Status: Matter is being investigated by the BMTF which has arrested all the accused persons including Chief Finance Officer Veeranna Gowda Patil.