Jagadish Shettar rubbishes land denotification complaint against him

Bangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar on Thursday rubbished a private complaint filed against him in the Lokayukta court alleging irregularities in land notification by him six years ago.

"It's a false case. I will take legal action," he told reporters in Bangalore when asked about the private complaint filed by a city-based social activist in the court on Wednesday.

The complaint filed before Lokayukta Judge NK Sundhindra Rao alleged that Mr Shettar denotified 178 acres of land in 2006 as revenue minister, violating rules that caused a revenue loss of Rs 250 crore to the state exchequer.

The complainant SM Chethan pleaded for action under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act against Mr Shettar.

The Judge has posted the complaint to July 21 for orders on probe.

Advertisement

The complainant alleged that Mr Shettar, without cabinet approval, had in 2006 denotified 178 out of 376 acres acquired for establishing a single roof mega farmers market at Dasanapura near here on applications by some land sharks along with farmers who owned the land.

This caused a loss of Rs 250 crore to the state exchequer at the present market value of the land, he alleged, adding that the project was never implemented.

Advertisement

Mr Shettar along with the then Special Land Acquisition Officer and the then Director of Agriculture Marketing Board are named in the complaint.