The Hindu

Bangalore, Mar 7: Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) managing director Ashok Kheny on Saturday claimed that the former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) national president H.D. Deve Gowda in 2004 offered 5,000 more acres of land for the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project if the company excluded 2,400 acres of notified land in which the latter had interests.

Mr. Kheny told presspersons that Mr. Deve Gowda had called him on January 8, 2008 during which the latter had proposed such an offer.

“However, I did not agree to exclude 2,400 acres of land as taking another 5,000 acres would have affected farmers,” said Mr. Kheny while asking the media persons to ask Mr. Gowda about the matter.

Mr. Kheny reiterated the allegation that family members of Mr. Gowda owned land in the BMIC area.

However, when the media persons insisted that he produce documents and particulars of the land in question, Mr. Kheny said Mr. Deve Gowda's family members own land at Devagere and Kethaganahalli village near Bidadi but did not furnish the notifications issued by the Government to acquire land for the project.

Denying all the allegations levelled by the former Prime Minister against the company, Mr. Kheny said the project was being implemented as per the agreements and orders of the courts and there was no illegality.

“I have no idea how to answer Mr. Gowda's repeated allegations despite having won the case in the court,” said Mr. Kheny.

‘People will know'

Later, when presspersons drew Mr. Kumaraswamy's attention to the allegations levelled by Mr. Kheny, the former Chief Minister refused to be drawn into an argument with NICE and said the people of the State would soon come to know of the dishonest ways of Mr. Kheny.