BENGALURU: The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has decided to terminate the lease of the sprawling Community Amenity (CA) site allotted to a trust run by jailed godman Asaram in the pricey Banashankari IInd Stage. At present, an ayurvedic pharmacy is functioning out of the 6,000-sqft site that was leased to the Ahmedabad-based Sant Shri Asaramji Trust, for 30 years in 2004.
The estimated market value of the site is around Rs 4.2 crore, a BDA official said, adding that the BDA Board on Friday approved the decision to terminate the lease.“Eviction notice would be issued shortly to the Trust. The site had been allotted only for social activities and a religious institution or ashram is acceptable. However, it is also carrying out commercial activity by selling ayurvedic medicines. Due to this violation, it has been decided to terminate the contract,” the BDA source said.
Activist Saidatta, who first lodged a complaint with the BDA regarding the violations, alleged that the BBMP had inspected the pharmacy and ordered its closure a decade ago for non-possession of licence but the powerful Trust managed to reopen it.He said the BDA must immediately take possession of site, which was allotted to Asaram by the then chief minister N Dharam Singh.
“Asaram is a convicted criminal under the Indian Penal Code and the POCSO Act. Why should the BDA be speaking of taking the legal route in his case? They need to take ownership of the property immediately,” he said. It is not clear if the BDA would return a portion of the money to the Trust since the contract will be terminated midway. BDA Commissioner H R Mahadev reserved comment on the issue until the proceedings of the board meeting were made public.