After the Supreme Court severely reprimanded the Commissioner of Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) Rajesh Gowda for disobeying the Court’s order by illegally allotting alternative sites in developed layouts to multiple people, the Urban Development Department (UDD) has asked the IAS officer not to report to duty and sign any documents.
Sources said that “in due course” the official will be shifted from the BDA. UDD has asked the BDA to submit the files pertaining to allotment of alternative sites.
Home Minister among beneficiaries
Home Minister Araga Jnanendra. File | Photo Credit: Arun Kulkarni
The BDA had allotted alternative sites to some people, including Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, in the developed layout. The Court had previously ruled that BDA can allot sites in developed layouts only through auctions.
On Thursday, the Court came down heavily on Mr. Gowda for illegally allotting alternative sites in the developed RMV II Stage extension to those that had previously received ‘G’ category sites. The Court had observed that sites were valued ₹9 crore to ₹10 crore in RMV Layout and the act of the Commissioner and his subordinates resulted in severe financial loss to the BDA. The Court said that as per the previous order of the High Court, the State government or the BDA has no power to allot ‘G’ category sites and persons who had received ‘G’ category sites with alternative sites in developed layout.
‘Don’t sign important files’
A view of a part of the Dr. Shivarama Karantha Layout near Medi Agrahar village in Bengaluru. File | Photo Credit: Sudhakara Jain
The bench of Justices S Abdul and Sanjiv Khanna, while hearing a case pertaining to Shivaram Karanth Layout, directed that the commissioner who has no respect for the Supreme Court orders should be immediately shifted and barred from signing important files and taking decisions.
The Court also said that the official has shown the ‘audacity’ to file an IA (interculatory application) seeking modification of the order. The Court has directed taking necessary action against the Secretary and Deputy Secretary who are responsible for allotment of the alternative sites.
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