Bangalore, Mar 19 (DHNS): Karnataka High Court on Thursday issued a notice to Wipro Chief Azim Premji on charges of land grabbing. 

A petitioner, Santosh B had moved the High Court citing a report submitted by a committee headed by A T Ramaswamy on August 22, 2007 that Premji encroached on 23 guntas of Government land.

The petitioner said though the report mentions the encroachment at Kempapura near Bellandur tank at Krishnarajapura Hobli, no action has been initiated against Premji. He had sought directions to take back the land and initiate criminal case against the Wipro chief.

During the hearing, the Court sought to know the steps taken by the State in connection with the allegations and directed to file statement of objections.

Misuse of funds

The State government in the High Court stated that it has not utilised any Central government funds for organic farming. During the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation by the Greenlife Souharda Co-Operative Limited (GSCL), over the misuse of funds, the State has termed the allegation baseless.

The State in its objections submitted that the Union government’s fund of Rs 169 crore has not been utilised and also the State government’s fund of Rs 100 crore to promote organic farming has been reduced to just Rs 50 crore.

On the number of beneficiaries in the State, the Government stated that only 300 farmers had been identified for this scheme.  It also denied the allegations of diverting the funds saying that there is no scope for misuse here. The matter has been adjourned.