BENGALURU: Corrupt public servants of local bodies are deliberately misplacing original records of the scams they are involved in to escape the clutches of law, stated the special court for Lokayukta cases while rejecting the anticipatory bail petition filed by a former assistant executive engineer (AEE), Karnataka Housing Board (KHB), B Sector, Yelahanka Upanagar in the city.
The accused No. 1, Syed Azgar, who was with the KHB Planning Division, has been booked by the Lokayukta police for his alleged involvement in the illegal sale of KHB sites and causing losses of crores of rupees to the exchequer.
“In the recent past, the officials from various local bodies like the KHB have been involved in such illegalities without bearing the minimum responsibilities of their position, existing rules, regulations and the law for their own reasons with the help of mediators, anti-social elements and other stakeholders. Most unfortunate are the acts of corrupt public servants in deliberately misplacing the original records after committing such illegalities (as in this case) so as to escape their criminal liabilities,” said Judge KM Radhakrishna.
He said a similar fraud committed in respect of site No. 239, HIG in B Sector strengthens the involvement not only of this accused, but also of other officers from KHB in the scam.
The accused, apprehending arrest by the Lokayukta police, contended before the special court that his higher officials, after having misplaced the original record, are attempting to shift the blame upon him.
The Lokayukta police have registered a case based on a complaint filed by social worker KS Chandrashekar Azad against Azgar and two others. He alleged that the residential site No.271, MIG, A Sector at Yelahanka Upanagar, was allotted to Satish Harini, the third accused.
Azgar, having joined hands with Govindaiah, the second accused, created fake documents with the intention of wrongful gain. Based on those documents, he sold and illegally executed the sale deed of the site on October 23, 2020, in favour of Govindaiah and caused Rs 10 lakh loss to KHB, Azad stated.
Opposing bail, the prosecution contended that the material on record exposes the direct involvement of the petitioner along with others and demanded his custodial interrogation.