Another case of encroacher - BMP nexus

Another case of encroacher - BMP nexus
By P M Raghunandan, DH News Service, Bangalore:
Had it not for the Legislature committee on Government land encroachment, this land grabbing case too would have languished in obscurity in court and the encroachers would have gone scot-free.

But for the Legislature committee on Government land encroachment, this land grabbing case too would have languished in obscurity in court and the encroachers would have gone scot-free. It is also a classic case of the fence grazing the field.

One C Subbarao in his will document dated November 4, 1912 gave away the ownership of his property comprising 10 shops on III cross, Chamarajpet, to the Religous & Endowment department as he did not have any legal heir. The property legally came to the possession of the department in 1932 after the death of Subbarao’s wife.

The property continued to be in the department’s possession for the next six decades. In 2003, land sharks set their eyes on it. Two persons by name C R Shamanna and Venkatesh approached the then Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) and claimed to be legal heirs of late Subbarao, with fictitious documents.

Within a short period, the duo not only established, illegally, that they are ‘legal heirs’ but also got the katha of the property changed to their names in 2003.

A BMP Revenue Officer, T G Ramachandra, got the katha transferred, illegally.

Shocked by the development, the Reglious & Endowment department approached the Special Deputy Commissioner, Bangalore Urban District, against it. The Special DC, after conducting an inquiry, rejected the claim of the duo and held that the department is the actual owner.

Surprisingly, when the department filed an appeal before the then BMP Joint Commissioner in this regard, the latter upheld the decision of the Revenue Officer in transferring the katha and turned down the appeal of the department.



Nexus

Ramachandra had entered into an agreement with Shamanna and Venkatesh to purchase the property for Rs 75 lakh. The former had even paid an advance amount of Rs 25,000 to the duo. The total worth of the property is estimated to be around Rs 15 crore.

The department then lodged a complaint and submitted all documents before the Committee, which after conducting a thorough investigation, exposed the entire illegal and murky dealing.



PLOT LINE

* C R Shamanna and Venkatesh got khatha for Religious & Endowment Dept’s property transferred illegally to their name.

* 10,000 sq ft property on III cross Chamarajpet is worth over Rs 15 crore. *BMP Revenue Officer got the khatha transferred illegally

* The Officer also wanted to purchase the property

* Culprits are: RO of BMP Ramachandra, Ranganna of Muzrai department, BBMP clerk T R Uma, BBMP ARO Srinivasalu

*Criminal cases have been filed against all culprits; all officials are suspended for encroaching upon government land