Representative image (Wikimedia Commons)Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has filed a case in the Karnataka High Court against its staff who were involved in the Arkavathy Land scam, reports The New Indian Express (TNIE).
BDA has alleged that the accused defrauded the organisation by under-pricing 34 sites in the Arkavathy layout. It is claimed that the officials gave away land worth Rs 5000 Sq ft at a minuscule Rs 59 Sq ft.
BDA unearthed the scam when its commissioner found discrepancies after a tip-off by an individual early last month. Following this, the agency initiated an internal investigation.
In a sign of relief for the organisation, the discovery of the scam came before the issue of Katha papers, thereby preventing losses of Rs 10 to 15 crores.
BDA Commissioner Rakesh Singh said, “The exact loss these staffers could have caused to BDA is still being estimated, but it could be around Rs 10-15 crore. Right now, their plan to sell all the 66 sites, which could have caused further loss, has been thwarted.”
“The sites were sold to the future owners at Rs 59 per sqft when they cost roughly around Rs 5,000 per sqft,” Singh added.
An Appeal...
Dear Reader,
As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.
Our business model is you and your subscription. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.
We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.
Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.