BENGALURU: The BBMP, which approved building plans on grabbed land, can be hauled up in court for damages, legal experts say.
Private developers who sold sites on lake beds and drains can also be made to compensate their customers. The law empowers citizens to make officials pay for signing fabricated documents, advocates told Express.
The BBMP on Monday filed a caveat before the High Court, anticipating hurdles to its drive. Some people whose houses are marked for razing have filed petitions.
Advocate Jayna Kothari said, “The very same BBMP that issued khatas and collected taxes is now demolishing the houses.”
She said the authorities had erred by not issuing notices to houses marked for demolition. “Developers, builders, and officials of various civic agencies should be brought to book for cheating buyers,” she said.
She suggested filing of criminal cases against them. “House and land buyers can claim compensation from sellers if they have preserved all documents.”
Venkatesh, senior advocate, said the buyer should be aware of the status of the property she is buying.
Big companies and influential people who got NOCs from the civic agencies and sold properties are nowhere on the scene.
“Banks had checked papers and sanctioned loans for buildings that were eventually brought down. The government should have taken action against officials who fabricated documents and later come after us,” said Dileep Pawar, whose house was demolished last weekend.
He said he had received no notice before the demolition. “On Friday evening, some officials were going about with measuring tapes. We ignored them. The demolition drive was a shock to us.”
He says citizens like him had paid betterment charges to the civic authorities. “The survey map states the land is legal. We also have signatures of BBMP officials who have approved our buildings,” he said.