THE POLITICS OF POSTING JAYARAM OUT, SHIVAPPA IS NEW IGR & CS

By Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter 

1st April 2011 issue-

                   THE POLITICS OF POSTING

              JAYARAM OUT, SHIVAPPA IS NEW IGR & CS

S.N Jayaram, Inspector General of Registration and Commissioner of Stamps is shown the door, and Shivappa, the loyal official of Reddy Brothers is brought in as the new IGR&CS. Jayaram, who had not spent even 300 hundred hours in his office for the last one year had to go under disgrace. Shivappa who earlier worked as a District Registrar is posted in his place, of course, due to the political compulsions of the Reddy Brothers.

S.N. Jayaram is a very ambitious man. Even after being appointed as the IGR, he continued to hold the charge of MD of Apex Bank. Later he was given charge as the Commissioner for Survey Settlement department too. But, after becoming the IGR & CS, he soon realized that he does not have power even to transfer a group D employee and the scope of making a good income also was not that attractive. He therefore preferred to work from his MD Chambers most of the time and would make a flying visit to the IGR’s office once or twice a week and leave after spending an hour or two, at the most.

Very recently, Jayaram had invited the ire of the Revenue Minister Karunakara Reddy. It is to be recalled that Reddy Brothers are facing serious trouble in their mining business. Jayaram was expected to help them out to tide over the trouble as he happens to be the commissioner of Survey Settlement. However, he failed and was showed the door.

Shivappa, another IAS official who is nearing retirement has been brought in as IGR. Shivappa is the darling of the Reddy Brothers as he was their handpicked candidate for the Bellary DC post from the word go. It is to be remembered that when the Chief Minister B.S Yeddyurappa shunted out Shivappa from Bellary, the Reddy Brothers rose in revolt against Yedurappa and were almost succeeded in toppling him but for the last minute truce. Such is the importance Reddy Brothers gave to Shivappa. After the truce, Shivappa was brought back to Bellary as DC.

Off late, the Reddy Brothers are in serious trouble from Supreme Court cases and other assorted cases. Their empire is slowly but steadily crumbling and Shivappa was to be the protector. But somehow, Shivappa felt the heat of CBI probe and had to distance from the Reddy Brothers, for public consumption. When he was transferred two months back, it was given to understand that Reddy Brothers have got him shifted for his non co-operation in protecting them suitably from the probe. This impression is purposely created to insulate Shivappa for facing the CBI enquiry where he had to defend his actions. What more, he was not given any posting too. This was a clever ploy to send a message that Shivappa had fallen out of favour with Reddy Brothers.

And now the cat is out of the bag. The Reddy Brothers have brought him to the IGR post and in all possibility he will be given the Survey Department also. Nobody can have any doubt of Shivappa doing anything he can to obey the diktats of Reddy Brothers and going out of the way to help them. But that does not make him immune from the long arms of law. Shivappa had invited trouble from the High Court also in the matter of the election of Sriramalu’s sister from Bellary Loksabha constituency. He was grilled in the High Court for all the lapses.

More than anything, the CBI probe into the illegal mining activities has already turned the heat on many of Reddy Brothers loyalists, retainers and associates. Shivappa who was almost a sort of partner to them, will have to face the CBI questions, if not today, tomorrow. In fact, if he were to be in Bellary as its DC, the CBI could have already touched him by now. It is for this precise reason that Shivappa got himself eased out of Bellary and remained without a post all these days.  Nobody knows when the CBI will strike as the probe has become a prestige issue to both the CBI and the AP Government. And not to be left, Yedurappa is also breathing down the necks of Reddy Brothers. As such the Reddy Brothers needs the services of their loyal officials at strategic places and Shivappa is the best choice.

Besides, Shivappa is no new comer to the department and its fertility. He had worked as the District Registrar in Srirampura Undervaluation for a long time. His corruption at that time, to say the least, was rotten. However, he has already made heaps of money and as such he may not be bothered about it. Perhaps, what bothers him is the safe keeping of his crores.

Shivappa therefore may not try to mint money, but who knows, old habits die hard. As he is nearing the end of service shortly, he must do well in the department.

One definitely hopes against hope that Shivappa may prove ‘good’ at least during the fag end of his tainted career. Jayaram deserved the treatment and there can be no second opinion about it. As they say ‘as you sow so you reap’ this applies to Shivappa too.