THE POLITICAL ROBBERY INSIGHT INTO THE ZAMEER AHMED ROBBERY CASE

  By Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter

15th Feb 2011 issue-                    

              THE POLITICAL ROBBERY

              INSIGHT INTO THE ZAMEER AHMED ROBBERY CASE

Zameer Ahmed, the Chamarajpet MLA has been named an accused by the Kengeri police in a dacoit case. Given the political powers involved, it was though not unexpected. Ever since JDS MLA from Channapatna, M.C Ashwath was made to defect to BJP during the second confidence vote and crores of money he was given for his political prostitution, everybody knew that once a part of the money was robbed, Zameer would be the target.

This incident goes a long way to prove the level to which politicians stoop to take revenge on their adversaries. The so called robbery of 2.5 Crores (which police has put it at 50 lakhs) belonging to JDS MLA from Channapatna, M.C Ashwath, shows the rotten level of politics.

It all began when the Chief Minister B.S Yeddyurappa, fighting with his back to wall for survival in power, undertook another Operation Kamala on the eve of the second vote of confidence, to reduce the strength of the opposition. He procured the JDS MLA from Channapatna M.C Ashwath and Congress MLA Narayanaswamy and made them to abstain from voting. He also made another attempt to get Congress MLA Malakaiah Guttedar to follow the suit.

Everybody knows that the price of a MLA sky rocketed to almost 50 crores after the last minute switching of loyalty by independent MLA Varthur Prakash from JDS to BJP.

Then it was the rebellion of 20 MLA’s against Yedurappa that shook Yedurappa’s chair. The JDS Boss H.D Kumaraswamy provided protection to these rebels at the Goa resort and it was Zameer Ahmed who played a decisive role there. He brought all the MLA’s back to Bangalore amidst the over bearing presence of Reddy Brothers, other senior Ministers and leaders. Yedurappa could manage to snatch away only three MLAs and later Varthur Prakash who led the rebels from the front became a turncoat. The rest is history. Yedurappa and his confidents were seething with anger at the ‘operation’ of Zameer Ahmed.

Ashwath here had vanished into thin air holing up at a secured place. The people of Channapatna were upset over his defection and created an atmosphere so much so that he would not have dreamt of setting foot in the town, at least for some time. However, the reward for his defection was so high that it had to be transported to him at various places in splits.

Zameer Ahmed has a wide network of contacts and came to know that a part of the money was to be transferred from Channapatna. Zameer in his zeal to expose the role of the ‘big money’ in Yedurappa’s political manipulation, planned to seize the money under transportation along with media to expose the dirty tricks of Yedurappa. But his play was grounded when his confidents led by Diwan Ali, a BBMP Corporator tried to play smart and pocketed the money themselves. Ashwath was heart broken at the incident lodged a complaint with the Kengeri Police through Ziaulla. Of course, the entire Government machinery was at his back and call.

When Zameer learnt about the double crossing and the police complaint, he immediately swung into action and forced the gang to return the money to Ziaulla Khan and through him to Ashwath. Due to the double crossing, Zameer’s plan of creating a media sensation became an utter flop.

The police complaint was sufficient for Yedurappa to settle scores with Zameer for all the loss he inflicted at the Goa resort political drama. Though the complainant after getting back the money tried to withdraw the complaint, the police did not allow him to. It is said that the complainant had given an affidavit to this effect.

Few days back, Diwan Ali the BBMP Corporator who was given the task of seizing the money and the vehicle and wait till the media men arrived, was murdered in broad day light. Only after his murder, things began to act swiftly. The police were very fast in filing the charge sheet within three months. And they named Zameer as accused number thirteen!

The naming of Zameer did not stir a political storm as it was long expected given the political nature and the powers behind it. Except BJP leader Dhananjaya Kumar who is working 24x7 to defend Yedurappa and his political games, nobody else demanded the resignation of Zameer. If this yardstick is applied, the first to resign as MLA shall be former Ministers Katta Subramanya Naidu and Krishnaiah Shetty.

Forget all this. The police have shown the amount of loot at 50 lakhs! People in known of things know well that the amount was 2.50 crores. Then why did the police reduce the amount? Is it an effort to match the amount to suit Ashwath’s accounts? Interestingly, the police have given a story of Ashwath’s transporting money was for the purchase of rice. Had the police investigated the so called rice business of Ashwath and Ziaulla, the cat would have come out.

More than anything, the source of this huge money, even if it is 50 lakhs, has not been gone into detail by the police. How does Ziaulla possess such huge money and how can Ashwath send hard cash to him? In case the money really belonged to Ashwath, he should have accounts to back the claim. The police should have probed into all these factors.

It is another matter that the Income Tax authorities will definitely take a look at the source of money as 50 lakhs cash which was allegedly ‘robbed’ is not a small amount. Ashwath and Ziaulla have much to explain to the authorities. It will take some time for the income tax authorities to take action.

It is also possible that Zameer whose name was not mentioned in the FIR was “fixed” by the police only as an after thought and that too at the eleventh hour. For ordinary people this is nothing but a false case to tarnish his image. It should be noted that Zameer is a very rich man and spends lakhs every month towards many social activities and functions. He has donated lakhs of rupees to many temples, holds mass marriages spending millions. Amount of Rs. 50 lakhs is peanuts to him and nobody in his senses would even imagine his involvement in a dacoity.

It is said that Zameer had explained the entire episode to the police including the ‘payment’ made to Ashwath and the subsequent cover up of the incidence. But the remote powers controlling the police have not allowed the natural justice done to him.

The money earned through political prostitution does no good either to the payer or the recipient. Nobody would have sympathized with Ashwath even if every penny of it was looted either by dacoits or people. And to ‘fix’ a political opponent to settle scores with him, is not decent politics. One should not wonder if the police files additional charge sheet against HD Kumaraswamy also, because Zameer is his right hand man and a trusted friend.    

GOVERNOR V/S GOVERNMENT BJP FIGHTS TO SAVE CORRUPTION

 By Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter

1st February 2011 Issue-

                         GOVERNOR V/S GOVERNMENT

                     BJP FIGHTS TO SAVE CORRUPTION

The BJP Government headed by B.S Yeddyurappa furiously protested the Governor’s sanction to prosecute Yedurappa under prevention of corruption act, by holding the Karnataka bundh. There was however no need for BJP’s panic reaction as Yedurappa and his BJP had already declared that there will be no resignation and that they will fight the case. By holding Karnataka bundh at a very short notice, the Government inflicted untold miseries to the people. By rushing to hold the people for ransom for the corrupt practices of its Chief Minister, the BJP is now fighting for corruption rather than being against it.

AS EXPECTED

Nobody expected the Governor to reject the petitions of two advocates for prosecution of Chief Minister B.S Yeddyurappa under prevention of corruption act. As the petition was supported by irrefutable official documents, the Governor was bound to sanction the prosecution. The BJP leaders knew this well and therefore Yedurappa had air dashed to New Delhi to seek the help of the national BJP leaders. Arun Jaitley and a prominent advocate Ram Jethmalani were already consulted about the course of action in the event of the Governor according the sanction.

TACKLING THE GOVERNOR

It is another matter that attempts were made to force the Governor to defer the decision so that the BJP High command can force the Central Government to recall the Governor. The ‘Clever Heads’ of BJP had devised a novel plan to scuttle Governor’s move. First, Yedurappa held an emergency meeting of his cabinet and passed a resolution asking the Governor not to accord sanction for prosecution and the same was faxed to the Governor instead of personally handed over by a senior Minister. The BJP then started publicity blitz to paint the Governor as a great villain. At the same time, the BJP also chalked out a series of protests to demand the Governor to refuse sanction. The BJP president K.S Eshwarappa had then itself threatened to observe Karnata Bundh. The Governor was called names by the BJP leaders and even Ministers asked the Governor to behave properly.

The Governor had set January 20^th as the deadline for the Government to hand over the original files to come to a decision. Even before the Governor could say anything, the BJP leaders were at his throat to force him or even blackmail him to refuse sanction for prosecution.

DEVIL QUOTING THE SCRIPTURES!

Now that the Governor has sanctioned the prosecution, the BJP leaders are acting as if the sky had fallen on them. Yedurappa is accusing the Governor of all things describing the same as an attack on democracy! This is just like the devil quoting the scriptures! How can a mere sanction of prosecution finish off the BJP Government? It is to be recalled that Yedurappa is surviving in the CM chair through manipulations, money and muscle power. The Operation Kamala was a blot on democracy. The operation disqualification of 16 MLAs just before a vote of confidence was a mockery of democracy and abuse of constitutional position of the speaker. And now when the Supreme Court and High Court are about to deliver the Judgements in the disqualification cases, Yedurappa has already had a trick on his sleeve and has decided to ‘suspend’ 15 Congress and JDS MLAs from the Assembly to save his gaddi. In the event of disqualified MLAs getting favourable orders from the courts, Yedurappa will lose the CM post as the number against him will swell to 114 against 106 in his favour. To neutralize this threat, he will suspend 15 MLAs of the opposition on the basis of one sided report of a legislative committee consisting of only BJP MLAs. Thus, Yedurappa’s number of 106 will definitely remain higher than the opposition strength of 98, after the suspension! And shamelessly, Yedurappa accuses the Governor of murdering democracy!

However, the main point is that there are serious allegations of misuse and abuse of power and position by Yedurappa to help his family members. There are charges of firms operated by his kith and kin to collect the corruption tainted money. While the Lokayukta was approached with a complaint on these scams and before the Lokayukta initiates actions, Yedurappa preempted the move by ordering a judicial probe and entrusted the Lokayukta complaint also to the commission, which will take years to submit the report. The commission was constituted by Yedurappa just to buy time and the High Court has also ordered a stay on the commission.

The sanction by the Governor to prosecute Yedurappa is not the end of the road. Yedurappa will have to face the trial and if proved guilty, will have to go to jail and that will take years. But the panicky reaction by the BJP stems out from ‘moral’ angle.

MORAL HITCH!

Morally it is not proper for a CM to continue in the post while facing trial in a criminal court. Why go far? The same Yedurappa procured the resignation of Minister Katta Subramanium Naidu, hours after he was named in an FIR by the Lokayukta Police. The same hard stick applies to him also.  But BSY cares two hoots for ‘morality’ in public life. His main motto is to continue as CM come what may. The national leaders of BJP are rallying behind him and had declared that he will not step down and that they will approach the High Court against the Governor’s decision. And BJP state president K.S Eshwarappa had ordered the Karnataka Bundh to protest against the sanction.

What does all this mean? If the BJP or Yedurappa fought against Central Government’ policies, price rise etc. there would be some justification. But what they are fighting is for the sake of corruption and for immunity against their corrupt practices. If Yedurappa is innocent, he can prove it and will be acquitted, what is so disturbing about just being allowed to be prosecuted?

They say’ BJP is a party with a difference’? Definitely, it is a party with a difference as it is publicly fighting for corruption and not against it! And that explains every thing!. 

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter TAKING PEOPLE FOR A GOLDEN RIDE…. SHUBH JEWELLERS- Pay for 24 carat get 22 carat Gold…

 By Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter

1st February 2011 issue-

   BY. FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA 

THE BANGALORE METRO REPORTER

TAKING PEOPLE FOR A GOLDEN RIDE…. 

 SHUBH JEWELLERS-  Pay for 24 carat get 22 carat Gold… 

 The shubh jewelers, a retail chain of jewellery stores promoted by the Rajesh Exports, is spending millions towards publicity- both print and electronic media proclaiming that they are ushering a gold revolution. They proclaim that they are selling the gold items at real rate per gram. They also issue misleading advertisement comparing the prices of other jewellers and induce the people not to buy gold items as these ‘other’ jewelers charge 10 to 15% wastage, exorbitant making charges etc. They also tell the people that they will be saving a lot of money if they purchased gold items from Shubh stores! 

 REAL RATE PER GRAM? 

 And what is their basis for telling the people that they will be saving a lot if they purchase from Shubh? In fact, the Shubh also released an ad featuring late actor Vishnuvardhan exhorting the people to buy gold from Shubh. To buttress their claim the Shubh reels our imaginary statistics comparing its price with ‘other’ jewellers. For example, in their company ads, they claim that other jewellers charge 15 to 20 percent wastage, levy exorbitant making charges and even charge for stones bringing the cost of the gold items to 120-130 percent of the gold price! 

To proclaim that they are the only honest and transparent traders, the Shubh cries from the roof tops that what they are offering is the ‘Real rate per gram’ for 22 carat gold items. They call upon the people to pay only for the quantity of gold they purchase! 

 To convince people of their sincerity and honesty, Rajesh exports which owns the Shubh stores, claim that the company has gold mining business in foreign countries and as such they can provide gold at its original value that is real rate per gram! They also proclaim that theirs is a 10000 crores company and that they are mining gold. It is this advantage, they say, allows them to sell gold at lesser rates than others. 

 If one goes by the colourful ads including and appeal by Late Vishnuvardhan, it becomes clear that the Shubh stores will sell 22 carat gold at 22 carat gold rates as they will not charge for wastage, making and stones. 

 Moreover, as the gold items are manufactured from their factories and that they have around ten thousand designs; people would have stood in the queue to purchase the items before the Shubh Stores. 

 But what is the reality of Real Rate per gram by the Shubh stores? The hard fact is that the Shubh stores do not sell the gold at the real rates. It charges 8.4% more over and above the market rates for ornamental gold that is 22 carat which means 916 purity! This implies that the so called ‘gold revolution is only a ploy to take the people for a ride. 

 THE COMMON PRACTICE

 It is here that the crux of the matter lies. It is a well known fact that honest local jewellers charge anything between 5 to 13 percent as wastage. This depends on the design and craftsmanship. If the design, for example, is a simple bangle with minimum design, the wastage will be around 4 to 6 percent. If the bangle design is exquisite and complicated, the wastage will be up to 10%! The local goldsmiths have to work longer to carve the design. In the process some small quantity of gold is wasted. As the design needs filling, drilling, cutting etc., there sure is going to be wastage. The jeweller has to provide 60% extra gold to the local goldsmith to prepare the items. For example, if a jeweller wants 30 grams of designed items like chains, bangles, bracelets etc., he has to give at least 48 to 50 grams of gold to the goldsmith. The goldsmith returns the excess gold after making the item. It goes without saying that almost a gram gets wasted due to filing as dust. The goldsmith charges substantial amount as making charges as the work involves long hours of skilled labour. All these totally amount to one to one and half grams. 

 And what about the investment of the jeweller? For 30 grams of ornaments, he has to provide about 50 grams. This gold has to be purchased in the market. After the work is over, he gets 30 grams of ornaments and about 18-18.5 grams of gold. Normally one does not predict the fluctuating gold rates. Finally, he has to charge 10 percent wastage and at the end of the day, he would have earned a profit ( if there is no reduction in the gold rates), he would be earning about a gram. In this profit, he has to cover the expenses of frequent trips to the goldsmiths, expenses towards his shop etc. finally, the local jeweller may make around Rs.1000 or 1500 as profits or earnings. That comes to Rs. 30 per gram. 

 Of course, if the ornaments are simple in design, the margin of profit will be very less. Moreover, the local jewellers charge about 5% as wastage depending on the design and workmanship of the goldsmiths. On many occasions, the goldsmiths have vanished from the scene with large quantity of gold given to them by the local jewellers for making ornaments. This ‘Risk’ has, of late become very frequent. One has to take this risk into consideration also. 

 Considering all these risk and wastage factors, the local jewellers who are always at the mercy of the goldsmiths does not make a good profit from the business. This does not include unscrupulous jewellers who prepare ornaments of 70-80 purity and pass it on as 22 carat. Over the years, people have become very intelligent and they prefer their trusted jewellers to make gold items. It is the trust that drives the gold market, particularly the jewellery market. If a jeweler shop earns the trust, people will not look for another shop. People are now careful about the purity of ornaments that they get from their jewellers. As such it is not easy for the local jewellers to take people for a ride. And people always grumble on the wastage aspect of the business without realizing the ground reality. 

 TALL CLAIMS 

 And now, enters the Rajesh Exports proclaiming to the world that they are ushering a new gold revolution doing away with the practice of wastage and making charges. It issued larger than life first page advertisements in all the news paper claiming that its Shubh stores are first in the world to sell gold ornaments at real rate per gram. It also went to towns with ad films featuring the veteran actor Vishnuvardhan, who died shortly after. Even now, promos are being aired in TV channels appealing to the people to purchase gold only from Shubh Stores which means huge savings. In the promo ad Vishnuvardhan asks the people to be cautious about other jewellers who cheat people. 

 Forget about all these. Let us take the rate at which the Shubh stores sell the gold items. Firstly, as the company manufactures gold items in their factories from the gold mined from its own mines, one expects the total absence of wastage and making charges apart from prices being lower than any other jewellers. As the gold is mined from their own mines, the prices should remain uniform despite the fluctuation of gold rates in international market. 

 But nothing of that sort is offered at Shubh stores. They are selling the 22 carat gold at the rate of 24 carat. The 8.4% difference in quality and quantity is being charged to the public, not as wastage or making charge but as the Real Rate for gram!

KPSC Assistant Secretary: One official-Two names…

By Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter

1st February 2011 issue-

KPSC Assistant Secretary:

One official-Two names…

Ever heard of a government official using two names in official correspondences? If not, the case of M.N Gururaja Rao, presently the Asst. Secretary KPSC stares before us. As far as KPSC official records are concerned, he is M.N Gururaj Rao. But he becomes a different person M.N Gururaj when he functions as the Secretary of the Lokseva Housing Co-op Society formed by the employees of KPSC. For outsiders, both names seems different and persons, different. This double role of MNG is going on since decades. And none had the guts to take action, let alone initiating action against this double role…

M.N Gururaj Rao, joined the KPSC as a junior Assistant in KPSC. Except a gap of few months, he remained as a permanent fixture in establishment section. Over the years, he got promotions as assistant, senior assistant, section officer and presently the Assistant Secretary, again in establishment section, he has been designated as the public information officer of KPSC, also. MNG is a well known name among the bureaucrats. He is personally known to most of the IAS, IPS, KAS and other officials in the state. As far as KPSC Members and the Chairmen are concerned, MNG is their ‘Advisor’. Since many many years.

This is not the story here. MNG Rao, the assistant secretary in KPSC becomes MN Gururaj officially in the Lokseva HCS as its secretary! The society is also located in the KPSC premises with or without permission from the KPSC. And MNG need not have to take any permission to house his society in KPSC and use it free of cost, as he is running the show in KPSC every since he joined the organization.

But the activities of the society formed solely for the purpose of providing sites to the employees of KPSC to say the least, has become a very big real estate agency. MNG purchases lands, gets government clearance, forms layouts and sells sites to any tom-Dick and Harry provided they pay the market price. Infact, the KPSC has not more than 300 employees including offricials. But the society has made hundreds of sites in many layouts. MNG takes enough care to ‘gift’ big sites to successive chairman, Members. Presently, outsiders, general public etc. can purchase the sites from this society. Almost the entire KPSC employees who needed site have been given sites long back. As such the society has to be wound up as it has outlived its utility and served its purpose.

But MNG is not prepared to wind up the society as it has become the hen that lays golden eggs everyday. He is using the society as a real estate agent to acquire lands and sell sites to the public. As is natural, he had acquired lot of clout in the corridors of power this explains the inaction by the various departments to take action against the illegalities and scams committed by MNG in the society. The co-op. department is protecting the society as if it is its own. No official in the co-op. department is prepared to even take a look at the serious violations of acts and rules. Interestingly, the BDA had even allowed CA sites to be converted into parks.

Be that as it may, MNG is not using his official name in the society for fear of loosing his job KPSC. That is why he is using another name by cutting off ‘rao’ from his original name. this is known to everybody in the government and also KPSC. In all the correspondences of the society, he uses M.N Gururaj and in KPSC he uses the name of MN Gururaj Rao. Despite knowing this ‘Double’ role of MNG, the KPSC has not taken any action, lest it may antagonize MNG!

Interestingly, MNG and signature is that of MN Gururaj, the secretary of the KPSC Hpousing Society. And the same Gururaj is the assistant Secretary of the KPSC, he is officially known as MN Gururaja Rao.

This is a very serious offence under the KCS and action had to be taken against MNG in this regard. Curiously, MNG is always busy in his real estate agency in the grab of society so much so that he does not attend the office regularly and without caring to obtain permission, he goes to the Sub-Registrar offices to register the LCS/ sale deeds and other real estate related business.

The case of MNG is a challenge to the law of the land. It is time, the KPSC takes even some sort of action against him in this regard.

Lokseva Housing Co-op Society!

Real estate Agency at the cost of KPSC employees

The Lokseva Housing Society was formed in the eighties with the sole aim of providing sites to the KPSC employees. The KPSC has a staff strength of less than 300. it formed a layout in Nagadevanahalli near Kengeri and allotted sites to the members of others as well. Since then, the society, nay, its owner MN Gururaj (or is it MN Gururaj Rao) has formed other layouts as well. He had till now formed thousands of sites and sold it to the officials of other departments, KPSC members and even general public.

It is no secret that MNG gets a premium for selling sites to others. The recent layout is in Kogilu abetting the Arkavathi layout of BDA, where the land prices are very high. MNG credits the society fixed rates to the society account and pockets the rest.

Legally, the society should have been winded up after all the KPSC employees who were eligible to get allotments, get sites. The society’s objections would have been achieved. And after the objections of the society are achieved, there is no reason or logic to continue the society any more.

But who cares? Definitely not MNG. He had continued with the activities of the society by converting it into a real estate agency and is making crores and crores, in the process. As MNG is above law, the government does not notice of his real estate agency-that is society.

Forget about all these. The Co-op,Society’s Rules does not permit MNG to hold the post of secretary. The law stipulates that every co-op. should have a paid secretary. The co-op. department has banned the post of Secretary or Honourary Secretary. But it had not bothered to apply this stipulation to MNG who has become the permanent Secretary of the society.

The society functions from a big office in KPSC and not a penny is paid as the rent. Moreover, solomn, a KPSC employee is among the staff of the society. He does not work in KPSC but in the society. He marks his attendance in KPSC and works in society. This is against the law and Soloman had to be dealt with.

Similarly, a retired Section officer in KPSC Manjunath also works in the society taking remuneration. And the law bars employment of retired officials in the society. But who cares? It is time, somebody in the co-op. department show the guts to take a look at the affairs of the society!    

OFFENCE IS THE BEST DEFENCE YEDURAPPA INDULGES IN COUNTER OFFENCE AGAINST ALL WHISTLE BLOWERS

By Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter

1st February 2011 issue-         

OFFENCE IS THE BEST DEFENCE

YEDURAPPA INDULGES IN COUNTER OFFENCE AGAINST ALL WHISTLE BLOWERS

Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa and some BJP leaders are under the impression that they can survive in power by blackmailing the opposition by raising the scams in regimes. They are following the dictum 'offence is the best defense'. They see motives in everything that is said against them. They have taken that offence strategy to ridiculous level and are blaming the opposition even for some dissent in the BJP.

 If one were to closely watch the political chat shows- discussion on various news channels, one can witness the BJP spokespersons getting aggressive and blaming the opposition for anything that had gone wrong under Yedurappa. They make sound bytes of opposition leaders having no right to question their acts. And they do not forget to mention that the people have given their mandate to them to rule the state for five years. These leaders start giving sermons to opposition leaders about how to behave!

Well, everybody knows that the corruption level under Yedurappa has reached rotten level with scams after scams getting exposed at regular intervals. The opposition, Congress and JDS, naturally demand action and resignation of Yedurappa in some scams and it is their right and duty. The opposition can not be expected to keep mum and function as a loyal 'B' team of the ruling party.

PERSONAL ROUTE

In fact, Yedurappa and his BJP Government have taken the politics of confrontation to personal level. Yedurappa had led the way from the front. When JD(S) Boss HD Deve Gowda and HD Kumarswamy levelled serious charges against Yedurappa, he had indulged in counter Offence by charging the Father and Son of vitiating the political situation. He had vowed that he will root out JD(S) and the Father-Son from the state politics!

PRECEDENT EXCUSE

Instead of defending or taking action on the scams exposed, Yedurapa started talking of the similar scams in earlier regimes starting from 1995 when HD Deve Gowda was the chief minister. He even went to the extent of challenging on the scams for the last so many years in the Assembly in the presence of religious leaders and prominent people!

There was although no meaning in this sort of discussions when the Assembly itself is the proper forum. But Yedurapa cleverly managed to get the Assembly sessions adjourned on flimsy grounds, so that his scams do not come under the scanner. The Government also provoked the opposition to stage protests or walk outs so that they can avoid any discussions on the scams. And again they blame the opposition for abrupt end to the sessions.

SILENCING THE OPPOSITION

It is another matter that Yedurappa and his BJP Government had shown utter contempt towards constitutional bodies in the state. The Backward class Commission was prevented from working properly as the chairman was not pro-BJP. He was removed and the High Court quashed the removal. Similarly, the state Human Rights Commission is also being sidelined. Even to this day, the Government had not provided the SHRC with enough staff and infrastructure. In the case of Lokayukta, the treatment meted out to it by Yedurappa is well known. Disgusted with the attitude of his in punishing the honest, Lokayukta Santosh Hegde even resigned from the post. The rest is history. The BJP High Command made all out efforts to make Justice Santosh Hegde withdraw the resignation and now, Santosh Hegde is even repenting his decision of withdrawing the resignation.

It is another matter that Yedurappa does not stand the sight of Lokayukta who had sent shivers among many ministers including Yedurappa. Katta Subramanya Naidu, a Minister was forced to resign when Lokayukta filed a case against him in the KIADB scam. The opposition particularly the JDS realising that Yedurappa was determined to stonewall any discussions on his multifaceted and multi dimensional scams, filed a detailed complaint against him with the Lokayukta. Yedurappa realized that he will be in soup if the Lokayukta conducts the probe and immediately set up a judicial Commission headed by a retired judge of the High Court to probe the cases which were before the Lokayukta. The Lokayukta was asked to hand over the files! To arm twist the opposition,Yedurappa directed the Judicial Commission to probe denotification cases from 1995 with an aim to damn the successive CMs since then. The commission will have to probe the denotifications done during the regime of HD Deve Gowda, SM Krishna, Dharam Singh and HD Kumarswamy. However, the HC issued a stay on the commission.

TARGETING THE GOVERNOR

The Governor HR Bharadwaj is been regularly targeted by Yedurappa and his BJP Government, the most. The Governor who is a constitutional expert and a former Central Law Minister is an outspoken person. He had advised and warned Yedurappa many times over the scams and the loot of natural resources (mining). But Yedurapa and his BJP government have not taken kindly to the Governor's actions. Moreover, the opposition have met the Governor several times complaining of Yedurapa's scams and pleading for action. Yedurapa took strong exception to these meetings and accused the Governor of being a Congress agent. In fact, the state BJP President KS Eswarappa had asked the Governor to resign and work in the KPCC office!

It therefore becomes clear that Yedurappa and BJP are playing a well planned game. Continue to exploit the people and stash bundles of money in the process. And whosoever raises his voice against us attack him and accuse him of corruption, malpractices, favouritism etc. But, they do not know that while the innocent public are famous for silence, they definitely are not fools in understanding the actions of their leaders!.......

HOW TO MAKE MONEY IN BBMP AKRAMA-SAKRAMA ILLEGALLY IMPLEMENTED IN BBMP OFFICIALS RAKE IN MOOLAH WHILE BBMP SUFFERS LOSSES

Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter

15th January 2011-

                      HOW TO MAKE MONEY IN BBMP

AKRAMA-SAKRAMA ILLEGALLY IMPLEMENTED IN BBMP

OFFICIALS RAKE IN MOOLAH WHILE BBMP SUFFERS LOSSES

Legally and technically the Akrama-Sakrama Scheme is yet to become the law and lakhs of people are already waiting for its implementation. However, many do not know that Akrama-Sakrama is already being implemented in many BBMP zones on producing bribe Money. If one is prepared to pay the ‘demand’ of BBMP officials, one can get their illegal unauthorized properties regularized by getting the BBMP khata. The cash strapped BBMP has already suffered loss of revenue to the tune of hundreds crores of rupees by this illegal Akrama-Sakrama scheme being introduced, on the sly, by few BBMP officials.

EXAMPLE 1

Take a look at the affidavit by one Sivani, co-owner of Global Associates, which owned 22 acres of land in Kothanur and Raghuvanahalli villages. The affidavit clearly states that this is in regard to registration of Khata for the above lands. The content of the Affidavit is very clear. As the BBMP is not accepting betterment charges, the company undertakes to pay the same, if BBMP levies the charges. And the reason for the affidavit is also clear. It concerns the registration of Khata in respect of the lands in Raghuvanahalli and Kothanur to an extent of 22 acres 3 guntas!

On the face of it, the company can not get the khata registered from BBMP as on now. It can register the khata only under Akrama-Sakrama scheme which is yet to be implemented. But there is also a provision to pay the betterment charges to the BBMP at the rate of Rs. 600 per sq mtr, if the entire land is one complex unit and converted. In the present case, even if the company is permitted to pay the betterment charges, it has to pay Rs. 6.50 crores to the BBMP.

But the company was not prepared to pay this much amount to the BBMP as it has its own design. Instead of paying the huge sum, it booked the ARO, RO, DC and Joint Commissioner of Bommanahalli Zone. After the Fat payment deal, the officials affected the khata to those lands! The company now has BBMP khata to its lands which naturally raises the value of the land by many folds. Nobody could do anything if the affidavit gets misplaced which the officials are expected to arrange..? The BDA has lost more than 6 crores and the officials became abundantly richer!

EXAMPLE 2

Take the case of Upkar Residency in Ullal. It formed a BDA layout consisting of around 300 sites for which BDA has given khatas and now, they have BBMP khatas as well. But the same Upkar Residency has formed another 1000 sites on the converted lands and sold it to the purchasers. Legally this layout on converted lands is illegal as it has no layout approval from BDA. But, as the owners have already sold the sites, the BBMP can not collect the betterment charges even if the lands are converted. The BBMP can collect betterment charges only for the entire converted lands in one go provided the lands are in one compact area. As it has been divided into sites, there is no way for BBMP to collect the betterment charges. The site owners can get the khata only under Akrama-Sakrama Scheme which is yet to become the law.

Interestingly half the layout in converted lands comes under the jurisdiction of ARO of Kengeri, and the other half is under ARO of Herohalli. While the ARO of Kengeri has refused to affect khatas to the sites coming under his limits, the ARO of Herohalli, is affected the khatas again by taking the similar affidavits from the site owners who undertake to pay the betterment charges in future if the BBMP levies the same. So, half the layout has BBMP Khatas and the other half are not lucky. The ARO charges a cool 25,000 thousand for 30x40 and 40,000 for 40x60 sites for affecting the khatas.

In fact, these sites can be regularized only under Akrama-Sakrama Scheme. The average betterment charges under the proposed Akrama-Sakrama Scheme will be around 1.5 lakhs for 30x40 and 3 lakhs for 40x60 sites. Higher the size more will be the betterment charges. If the average betterment charges are taken into the account, the BBMP would earn at least 30 crores from this layout itself. But the hard fact is that half the sites already have BBMP Khatas affected on the basis of affidavits. And it is definitely possible that tomorrow the officials may easily remove the affidavits and the files from the record. There is no way the BBMP can build the duplicate files. But there is the property register in this regard and the entries are the only evidence. So, the people whose sites have been given khatas on the basis of affidavits can have a last laugh as they need not have to regularize their sites under Akrama-Sakrama scheme. All that they spent is some 25 to 50 thousand rupees bribe to the ARO. The other halves, which are under ARO of Kengeri, will have to curse their fate. The BBMP will be losing almost 15 crores while its ARO becomes richer by few crores!

It is another matter that the officials get the parties to pay betterment charges caring two hoots for the rule of the law. The payment of betterment charges and affecting the khata makes the title ‘pucca’ as far as its marketability is concerned is a myth. If all the legal formalities are observed and the khata is affected, one can be sure of the legality of the title. But nobody cares about this important aspect. All they want is the proof of betterment fee and the khata.

In one such case in Begur, almost 20 crores were paid by a developer without following legal formalities. The developer was in hurry to create BBMP documents for his 60 acres in Begur. The then Joint Commissioner in Bommonahalli Zone, Shekarappa was instrumental in this murky deal. However, the Joint Commissioner has no powers to order for betterment fee collection. It is either the BBMP Commissioner or the Urban Development Secretary who have the powers to do so.

EXAMPLE 3

The Akrama-Sakrama Scheme being illegally implemented in Whitefield shows the ease in which the officials do criminal acts like fabrication of records. The ARO had made crores along with Revenue Inspectors.

THE MODUS OPERANDI

The modus operandi here is very simple and straight forward. Whitefield was merged with BBMP and the village coming under this sub division had their property registers handed over to BBMP. The entries in Form-9 register (Gramathana Properties) were transferred to BBMP register and all the entries in BBMP register acquire legality and khatas. Both Form-9 and BBMP registers are with the ARO. If any person wanted his revenue property to be regularized by getting the khata, he has to clinch the deal with the ARO and the Revenue Inspectors. Once the deal is clinched, they will engage the services of the village secretary who was working in the village before merger with BBMP and make the entry in the BBMP register. So, the property however big it may be, gets BBMP ‘image’ without spending a pie under Akrama-Sakrama Scheme. The ARO and Revenue Inspectors have thus made a fortune which can last for generations.

EXAMPLE 4

In case of Ullal in Kengeri Sub Division, the racketeers follow the modus operandi with a slight difference. The village property register (Form-9) handed over to the BBMP by the Kodigehalli Panchayat Secretary contained only 115 entries. The register should be with the case worker but the RI obtained the register on some pretext and kept it with himself. He along with Tax Inspector then made illegal entries in the Form-9 register in respect of almost 200 revenue properties and these illegal entries were repeated in BBMP register. For any lay man, the original entries in the Form-9 attested by the panchayat Secretary at the time of handing over to the BBMP and the entries made after the serial number 115, appears different. Even the hand writing difference is clearly evident. There are ‘fabricated’ entries to properties measuring more than 10 thousand square feet. Many entries were given to revenue layout sites too. Crores have been lost to BBMP through these criminal acts of BBMP officials.

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The then Commissioner Bharat Lal Meena also ordered a thorough enquiry into the Ullal scam, on complaints. But except seizing the records and later handing it back to ARO of Kengeri, no action was taken. The Additional Commissioner of RR Nagar Zone is also neck deep involved in the scam. It is another matter that ARO himself had ordered khatas to villa sites near kengeri. Interestingly, the order was passed without processing the files and it is learnt that the ARO was gifted one ‘villa’ for this illegal favour.

If the fabricated entries in Ullal village were to be regularized under Akrama-Sakrama Scheme, the BBMP would have earned at least 25 crores! While the BBMP lost heavily, the racketeers became richer by few crores.

The above are only the tip of the iceberg. There are similar scams in all the 110, villages merged with the BBMP. The Zonal Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, ROs, AROs, and Revenue Inspectors have made BBMP to loose hundreds of crores. There is absolutely no control of the top brass in the BBMP over the Zonal offices and officials. One can imagine the prevailing situation by the fact that despite the then BBMP Commissioner’s order of enquiry and subsequent seizure of the records in Ullal village, nothing came out. The records were returned and the only punishment was the transfer of officials, that too, to more fertile places. The enquiry is not yet taken off. In fact, there was a move to conduct a survey to identify a revenue pockets and the Gramathana. But the survey is yet to start. There is hardly any hope of the enquiry and the justice in the near future.

Arguably, the Government may introduce the Akrama-Sakrama bill in the assembly only during the next session. One can expect the bill to become a law only in June-July. But the unscrupulous and unimaginable corrupt officials in BBMP have already enforced the Akrama-Sakrama Scheme illegally and fraudulently since two years and inflicted massive losses to the BBMP to the tune of hundreds of crores and enriching themselves in the process.

Unless the entire fraud is probed by a special cell consisting of dedicated officials, there will be no end to this fraud.                 

ONIONS MAKE PEOPLE CRY PRISE RISE HITS INDIAN MIDDLE CLASS. GOVERNMENTS UNCONCERNED

By Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter

15th January 2011 issue

                                   ONIONS MAKE PEOPLE CRY

PRISE RISE HITS INDIAN MIDDLE CLASS. GOVERNMENTS UNCONCERNED

The sky rocketing of prices of all essential commodities has made the life miserable for the common man. For the last two years, the common people are silently suffering the high prices of all essential commodities. The prices of onions, other vegetables, Food grains, oil, pulses etc. have crossed the roof, despite the bumper crops, and now there is another burden of fuel hike.

It is to be recalled that onions are consumed by people through out the country and neither the Centre nor the State Governments have done anything about this menace. In case of onions, the Government gives a lame excuse of destruction of standing crops due to untimely rains! It is true that there were unseasonable rains which damaged the standing crops and affected the production by 50%. But, the officials in the Agriculture Ministry were not dumb to foresee the shortage and take remedial measures. In fact, there is an inbuilt machinery and system in the agricultural ministry to monitor the food situation, rain pattern, possible shortage or excess food production, possibility of floods or famines etc., and to take remedial actions in case of shortages. But the machinery became defunct and lacked in their duty.

The Food Minister Sharad Pawar, is very busy in the affairs of the BCCI and its cricketing activities. He has no time to run the Food Ministry which has perhaps become his part time job. As such there is no monitoring system in place. In fact, Sharad Pawar had made an idiotic comment that prices will come down after the harvest. One does not need to be a minister or an expert to say that prices will come down once new crops flood the market.

Further, if the Central Government had wanted, it would have solved the problem by banning the export and importing large quantities of onions, other pulses and oils. Apparently, the market prices depend on the Government’s moves and policies but, the Government here followed the “hands off” policy which gave way to free and unrestricted trades where middlemen had the final say.

Besides, the Government did not use its overflowing buffer stocks of food grains for the last two years. Millions of tonnes of rice, wheat etc. are rotting in the Government warehouses for which the Supreme Court severely castigated the Government and directed it to distribute the stocks free of cost to people or at a nominal price! In case of price rise, the Government can release a part of its stock to the open market which consequently brings down the market prices. In case of oil, if the Government even announces about the import, the market reacts and the prices of oil comes down immediately. This is a time tested system which was used to perfection during Indira Gandhi’s regime.

Of course, it is not only the Central Government that is responsible for price control, the State Governments too is responsible in this regard. It is an open fact that the traders indulge in hoardings resulting in scarcity followed by price hike. State is thus responsible to take strict action against hoarders and black marketers. But, the State Government was least bothered about the common man. The available production of onions was monopolized by the middlemen by purchasing the same from the farmers.

Leading outlets and corporate bodies like Reliance, More, etc is another important factor for the scarcity of vegetables in the market. These outlets procure directly from the farmers through binding agreements, whereby the farmers cannot sell their products to any others. These companies have thus already captured at least 20% of the agricultural and horticultural markets and they decide the “price”! They also have the where withal to store the products in their cold storages and nobody has given any thought to this major factor.

The Delhi government has finally shown the way. It is selling onions through its distribution outlets at 50% of the market rates in its effort to bring down the onion prices. When onion is available at Government outlets, people will not buy it in the open market and that too at higher rates. Eventually, the market has to reduce the prices for its survival. Demand and supply becomes irrelevant with the Government’s intervention.

Unfortunately, our State Government acted as if the price rise is not its concern. The Chief Minister B.S Yeddyurappa who is always busy protecting his chair was more involved in making all out efforts to win the Taluk and Zilla Panchayat elections. The Horticultural Minister Umesh Katti made another idiotic statement asking people to bear with the situation as the prices will come down after the harvest season. As if we never knew that the prices of onions will come down when the crops will be harvested next year. It should be noted that when the Central Government under pressure from Sonia Gandhi banned the export, the prices of onions came down by almost 40%. Surprisingly, Umesh Katti strongly protested the ban! Does it mean that the interest of the hoarders and black marketers are more important to him than the interest of the common people?

Whatsoever, only after the Central Government pressurized the State Government to take immediate measures to control the prices, the Chief Minister called the meeting of the officials to take remedial measures! One should be thankful for B.S.Yedurappa for having realized that he has other works to do, other than enjoying power and fighting to survive in power.

The tragedy is that the both Central and State Governments have forgotten their basic duty of governing. It is time they learn to govern. It goes without saying that once they start governing, people can expect a fair deal.