NEW DELHI: Accusing the Congress government of misusing its powers for political gain, former minister and MLA Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said that the two cases against BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa being investigated by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) were a political vendetta.
The cases being investigated by the ACB pertains to alleged denotification — cancellation of a notification of intent to acquire land — of 657 acres of land acquired for developing the Shivaram Karanth Layout in the city.
Speaking at a press conference, Bommai said that the Shivaram Karanth Layout was not denotified. He said, “ The preliminary notification was issued for 3,546 acres. Out of which 257 acres were dropped after farmers complained to the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) stating they would face hardship if their lands were acquired. Therefore, these 257 acres were deleted from preliminary notification and were not denotified. When you denotify areas after the final notification is issued, then it is wrong. ”
Bommai also said that the dropping of the remaining 440 acres was a simple exercise of powers that the Board has. Bommai questioned, “There was no administration lapse and BDA exercised its powers. Where is the basis for a complaint?"
He questioned the need for an ACB investigation when the case had been with CID for four years. “This is a clear case of political vendetta and we will fight it legally and politically. When the Congress formed ACB, we had accused it of forming it to harass people who oppose them. Our words have been proven true. If the ACB wants to act with alacrity, then why is not investigating the cases filed against the Chief Minister himself?” he asked.