Daijiworld Media Network - Mysuru (SP)

Mysuru, Dec 20: Land acquisition scam relating to Karnataka Housing Board has acquired new dimensions, as JD(S) MLA from Chamundeshwari constituency, G T Deve Gowda, who had functioned as housing minister in the past, faces risk of being arrested. Former chief minister of Karnataka, H D Kumaraswamy, has termed this development as an attempt being made by chief minister, Siddaramaiah, to crush his political opponents, by misusing officials of Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB). He said that his party will not get bogged down by such tactics.

G T Deve Gowda, who currently represents Chamundeshwari constituency, and who had earlier defeated Siddaramaiah from this constituency in the past, is likely to be fielded against Siddaramaiah in this constituency during the coming assembly election.

H D Kumaraswamy

ACB arrested five persons relating to the scam on Tuesday December 19. They happen to be assistant executive engineer of the housing board, M B Somashekhar, assistant engineer, M Mahesh, and middlemen, Jnaneshwar, vijayakumar, and N B Vasu. They are being questioned by the police. Investigation into the allegations that officials of the board and middlemen had cheated farmers in acquisition of 81 acres of land located in some villages of Ilawala revenue division in the outskirts of the city, had been ordered by the government after complaints surfaced.

The first information report filed in the case has 46 names including that of G T Deve Gowda's son, G D Harish Gowda and brother, Yaduvar. The case, which was initially investigated by Lokyhaukta, had been shifted to Anti Corruption Bureau. First information report was filed in third additional district and sessions court here by ACB personnel on December 18. It is said that at the instigation of officials and others, middlemen had obtained general powers of attorney from farmers by entering into agreements to buy their land at a price of eight to 18 lac rupees per acre and then collected Rs 36.5 lac per acre for these lands from the board. During Lokayukta investigation, it was found that new accounts in the names of farmers had been opened for depositing cheques and money was drawn through cheques signed by these farmers.