FIR?registered against Deshpande, Yeddyurappa

Bengaluru, Feb 22: A first information report (FIR) has been registered by the Lokayukta police against Minister for Higher Education and Tourism R V Deshpande and former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa in connection with the illegal deletion of properties from the lands notified for an IT Park between 2001 and 2006.

The Lokayukta court had ordered for a Lokayukta police inquiry based on a private complaint filed by one Vasudeva Reddy in 2013. According to the complaint, three real estate companies privately purchased the lands after the IT corridor’s limits were declared.

When revenue authorities forfeited the land for violation of Karnataka Land Revenue Act, the firms got the same lands re-allotted by approaching the government, proposing IT industries.

The State government had declared the land lying between Whitefield and Electronics City as IT corridor during 2000-01 for industrial development in IT and IT enabled services.

Though Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) issued notification in respect of nearly 500 acres, the final notification had only 434 acres, covering prime land in Bellandur, Devarabeesanahalli, Kadabeesanahalli and Kariyammana Agrahara, the complaint said.

Deshpande, using his clout as a minister, deleted select lands from notification in which he had business and real estate interests. None of the lands were eligible to be excluded from acquisition.

Yeddyurappa, as Deputy Chief Minister, ordered for denotification of lands in Devarabeesanahalli and Bellandur, the complainant claimed in the complaint. The Lokayukta court has now directed the police to submit the final report by April 18.