BENGALURU: The state government on Friday transferred BDA Commissioner Rajesh Gowda following an oral order by the Supreme Court conveying its displeasure over non-adherence of its orders by the commissioner while allotting alternative sites. Sites allotted to 5 persons, including Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, have come under scanner. Kumar G Naik, Additional Chief Secretary, Energy Department, has been given concurrent charge as BDA Commissioner.
SC’s observations on Thursday came during a routine hearing of regularisation of properties in Dr Karanth Layout. The bench rapped Gowda for causing losses to BDA by offering alternative sites in RMV IInd Stage Extension for sites originally allotted in HSR Layout.
A BDA official said, “Of 96 alternative sites allotted since Nov. 2021, SC questioned the five alternative sites measuring 50x80 sq ft allotted on recovered properties at RMV IInd Stage Extension to Home Minister, ex-Kalaburagi MP Basavaraj Ganpathrao Patil Sedam, Bagalkot MLA Veerabhadrayya Charantimath, ex-KPSC member M Nagaraj and an official’s wife Geetha.”
SC: Secy, his deputy need to be transferred
Justice S Abdul Nazeer told BDA advocate S K Kulkarni, “Your commissioner has violated our order. Instead of a G category site in HSR Layout, you are offering one at RMV Layout which is worth Rs 10 crore now. It is a financial liability, a financial loss to the BDA.”
The judge added, “You must immediately shift him from the BDA. He has no respect for our orders. From today, he shall not sign any important files. He cannot take any important decision. “The judge repeatedly reiterated the need to shift him out. The HC has said that the allotment of G category sites (given to those in public life) in HSR Layout itself is illegal and the allotment of alternative sites has been done in RMV where sites cost between Rs 9 and Rs 10 crore.
The court also ordered that the secretary and deputy secretaries in BDA too need to be transferred. The SC had in its order, dated October 26, 2021, stated that intermediate sites too need to be auctioned along with corner sites for mobilising resources for the Authority. It forbid allotment of recovered properties as well and added that sites cannot be offered in already developed layouts but only in new layouts.