The Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF), which has sought a special prosecutor to hear its cases, is still waiting for the government’s nod.
BMTF chief R.P. Sharma told presspersons here on Friday that the BMTF had written to the government in this regard in April 2012 and was still awaiting a response. He said that the request was made to ensure that the investigation of BMTF’s cases was speeded up.
He said that the BMTF had requested the government to fill the vacant posts and increase the staff strength. The BMTF has since been making do with the existing staff. He said that if the staff strength was increased, the BMTF would be better equipped to take up investigations. He pointed out that the posts of Additional Commissioner (revenue) and many town planners’ posts were vacant.
Mr. Sharma said that from 1996-2010, the BMTF registered 32 criminal cases. The number of cases rose to 210 in 2010-11. It was 208 in 2011-12 and so far this year, 135 cases have been registered. He said that the number of cases registered had reduced as the BMTF was not registering any non-cognisable cases with regard to building byelaw violations.
These cases were earlier being registered after obtaining permission of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate as per Section 155 of the Cr.P.C. However, in October 2013, the High Court restricted the BMTF’s jurisdiction to registering such complaints by passing an order.
Stating that the BMTF had urged the government to challenge the order, he said that the focus had now shifted to encroachment of government land and lakes.
“So far, we have registered 34 cases regarding encroachment of government land and lakes. Though the BMTF can’t clear the encroachments as per the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, we can apprehend, charge sheet and prosecute the encroachers,” he added.
