BSY directed UDD to drop land from acquisition: ACB

The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday informed the High Court of Karnataka that then chief minister B S Yeddyurappa had directed Urban Development Department (UDD) to drop land from being acquired for formation of Dr Shivaram Karanth Layout in Bengaluru.

Senior counsel Ravivarma Kumar appearing for the ACB, in a submission filed in a petition, said that Yeddyurappa had ordered that there were no legal impediments in dropping the land from acquisition.

Against the advise of the UDD, Yeddyurappa on September 4, 2010 directed the department to drop the land from being acquired for the layout, he said.

The chief minister’s order also cites Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) note stating that only preliminary notification was passed in acquiring the land to form the layout and needed further action.

The ACB also stated that in the second FIR registered against Yeddyurappa, the location and the dates on which the land was dropped from acquisition were different. The first FIR pertains to land acquired in Avalahalli whereas as the second FIR relates to the land that was acquired in Somashettihalli.

The ACB contended that both the FIRs do not have the same complaint as the location and dates are different. The complainant, Aiyappa has stated that the petitioner (Yeddyurappa) had obtained monetary benefits to drop the land from acquisition.

Hearing the petition, Justice Aravind Kumar passed an order not to arrest Yeddyurappa till the outcome of the writ petition and adjourned the next hearing to Friday.

Yeddyurappa has moved the high court, seeking directions to quash the two FIRs registered  by the ACB and the proceedings against him. The two FIRs were filed against him in the case of ‘fake-denotification’ of 257 acres of land of which 3.6 acres was kept to form Dr Shivaram Karanth Layout.