The Task Force has brought out some glaring cases of government land encroachments over the last two years, but no action has been taken to recover its properties, let alone bringing the culprits to book. Task Force chief V Balasubramanian submitted a detailed report to the government on Monday.
The report has mentioned some stunning cases of encroachment wherein the powerful land mafia has grabbed valuable government land by colluding with officials.
- O G Rajulu claimed that the government granted him 40 acres land in Ramagondanahalli in 1966 at Rs 16,000 an acre to set up a chicory plant (the government has no records of having granted the land. The chicory plant was also not set up). In 1989, then Revenue Secretary gave permission to convert the land use from industrial to residential purpose, violating all rules (the matter should have been referred to the BDA as the land comes under its jurisdiction).
Then, a tripartite agreement involving Srivastav (son of Rajulu), Unique Constructions and PS Developers (represented by Irfan Razaak and Rizwan) and the Laughing Waters Apartments and Owners’ Association was signed in 1991. They got a layout plan approved from the village panchayat (The panchayat has no powers to do so. The BDA had to approve it).
The layout was formed on the land, which also included four acres of ‘B’ kharab land (‘B’ kharab land cannot be granted to anybody).
IT icon Azim Premji and cricketers Rahul Dravid and Venkatesh Prasad are among the rich and famous who are in deep trouble for having bought properties from Laughing Waters Apartments. Though directions have been issued to the Tahsildar of Bangalore East taluk to issue show cause notices to the association members to clear the encroachment, no action has been taken. The present value of the property is estimated to be Rs 488 crore.
- Joy Ice Creams got 3.23 acres land in Pattandur Agrahara in Bangalore East taluk for setting up a software technology park. The land was allotted to the company at 50 per cent of the market value (Rs 4.34 crore).
The KIADB, which was supposed to give lease-cum-sale deed, executed sale deed in favour of the company in July 2006 without laying down any condition. The company sold the property to Prestige Properties Group for Rs 6.97 crore within one month. Though directions were issued to take the land back, the KIADB has not taken any action so far.
- A M Nisar Syed, who claimed to be a NRI doctor, got five acres land from the government in 1991 at Bilekahalli near IIM-B, to set up Imperial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, at Rs two lakh an acre. Instead of constructing the hospital, Nisar entered into an agreement with Apollo Group of Hospitals, which built a multi-disciplinary hospital. No permission was taken from any government agency to construct the hospital. Nisar benefited by way of dividend from the income of Apollo Hospital. No action has been taken yet either against Nisar or the Apollo group for violating the rules. Also, Nisar had, in 2007, submitted an application to then chief minister to grant another 2.32 acres of land to establishing Cyber Knife High End Medical System.
- The Government granted 2.32 acres of land at Bilekahalli to the Apparel Export Promotion Council of the GOI in 1991. The Church of Immaculate Conception, Bangalore, claimed to be the owner of the land and challenged it in HC, but lost. It filed a civil suit in the civil court, and lost again. The Church then appealed against the civil court order. While the appeal was pending, it sold 1.30 acres of the land to Shantharaju for Rs one crore. A commercial complex was built on the land. Though both the Tahsildar and the Assistant Commissioner ordered removal of the encroachment, Shantaraju managed to get interim stay orders from various courts, repeatedly suppressing the fact that the title case is pending in the Civil Court. So far, the government has not been able to take action in the case.