Is the Karnataka government allowing selective demolition of properties over encroachment of storm-water drains in Bengaluru?
N.R. Ramesh, a former corporator, had filed a private complaint alleging discrimination by BBMP in the ongoing demolitions. He has now filed a fresh criminal case in the high court after the chief minister failed to act on his complaint, where he had alleged that 13 politicians, 368 builders, 29 tech parks, 30 malls and three hospitals had encroached government land along the 857km-long raja kaluve (storm water drain) network.
In his complaint, he has made charges against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and blamed his party colleagues including K.J. George, M.R. Seetharam, R.V. Devaraj, Shamanur Shivashankarappa, M.V. Rajeev Gowda, N.A. Haris, B Gurappa Naidu, G.A. Bawa and former councillor Govindaraju for issuing recommendation letters to reinstate officers accused in the encroachment case.
The complainant notes that while 114 poor and middle-class families have suffered due to the demolitions, at least 75 per cent of the encroachers along the 480 km of the drain and 1,500 acres of the buffer zone are influential persons, who are now exerting pressure on the government to safeguard their properties.
In the complaint filed before the 4th ACMM court on Thursday Ramesh has made charges against 368 builders and 91 officers under CrPC section 200, IPC sections 197, 217, 403, 406, 468, 420, 424, 477(A), KLR Act 192(A), 217 436(A) among others.
The court posted the hearing on September 6.
