Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter AAM AADMI PARTY MISSES SOUTH INDIA! KEJRIVAL’S NEW PARTY IS NORTH INDIAN CENTRIST.

By Firoz.T.Totanawala 

 The Bangalore Metro Reporter

AAM AADMI PARTY MISSES SOUTH INDIA! KEJRIVAL’S NEW PARTY IS NORTH INDIAN CENTRIST.

Arvind Kejrival has formally launched his political party and named it as Aam Admi Party. From the name of the Party to the members of the national Council, it is full of North Indian names. In a way Kejriwal has completely ignored the South India in his political pursuit.

 
Kejriwal who was in the forefront of Anna Hazare’s India Against Corruption Movement, had always nursed political ambition. He had successfully converted India Against Corruption as India Against Congress and he led the campaign against Congress in Hissar Loksabha by-elections, when the IAC was catching momentum. He even made Anna Hazare to declare that he will campaign against Congress in the next general election.

 
After Anna Hazare’s movement lost it steam and there were differences of opinions among themselves about the political fight, Kejriwal had announced the launch of a national political party on Gandhi Jayanthi. Now, Kejriwal has officially launched his political Party with himself as the national convener. It is another matter that Anna Hazare has reconstituted his core team of IAC dropping Kejriwal. After Kejriwal had officially announced the formation of AAP, Anna Hazare who had earlier distanced himself from his political activities, changed and said that he will campaign for AAP candidates!

 
Arguably, Kejriwal’s AAP has become a north Indian centrist party limited to the Hindi heartland. The name Aam Admi does not sound anything in South Indian States. Foe a villager in Karnataka - AP - Kerala, Tamil Nadu or Puducherry the name Aam Admi has no meaning. Even though they know the regional parties, they also know well about the national parties like Indian National Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, Communist Parties etc. But, Aam Admi sounds Greek to them.

 
It is another matter that people have heard about the word ‘aam admi’, the election slogan of the Congress in 2004 and 2009. The Congress used the slogan “Congress ka haath, aam admi ke Saath” (Congress hand is with the people.) Even here, the Congress did not use the hindi slogan in the South and used its local translated version.

 
And Kejriwal has taken the ‘aam admi’ word from the Congress and named his party. Apart from the North Indian centrist Party, the national Council also does not figure people or even self proclaimed leaders from South India. At the most one can detect a couple of names of South Indian accent. To be precise Kejriwal has acted as if South India does not exist. One would have expected at least one name each from the Southern states.

 
It is natural as Kejriwal or for that matter Anna Hazare’s IAC too had completely ignored Southern States. Their centre of agitation was limited to Mumbai and Delhi. Moreover, they have concentrated their ‘struggle against corruption’ against only Congress and that too in urban metro cities. They never talked about rotten corruption in states ruled by the non-congress parties. For example, they never talked about corruption in Karnataka which was at peak making the state occupy the No.1 position in the country. When Anna Hazare visited Bengaluru during the height of their IAC movement, B.S.Yeddyurappa, the then Chief Minister was accused of many serious corruption related scams. In fact, the then Lokayukta Santosh Hegde was one of the prominent members of Anna’s core committee and he had finalised the Report on illegal mining in the state and named Yedurappa as a beneficiary of heavy payment from the illegal mining lobby. But Anna Hazare, or Kejriwal for that matter, never uttered a word against corruption by the state BJP government led by Yedurappa! Similarly, Anna had praised Gujarath CM Narendra Modi who had not appointed Lokayukta in Gujarat for the last nine years! And Anna was fighting for establishment of Lokpal at the centre!

 
In a way, the IAC targeted selected leaders for exposure. Most of the front line and self proclaimed leaders in IAC have their own NGOs receiving foreign funds, including that of Kejriwal.

 
After the IAC movement weakened, Kejriwal out of political ambitions announced the formation of a new political party. People were not amused. To provide proper build up to the official launch of the party, Kejriwal started exposing selected targets. As he had become a darling of a section of the media, he grabbed the limelight when he exposed Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra for having made hundreds of crores in a matter of three years by abusing his relation with Sonia Gandhi. The scam died a natural death with Kejriwal not willing to file cases. But the exposure provided him with larger than life image in the media. His second target was Salman Khurshid, the law minister whom he accused for misappropriation of about 80 lakhs grants meant for Welfare of handicapped people through his family Trust. This too provided heavy media Coverage. Later he exposed BJP President Nitin Gadkari’s ‘Purti’ scam and damaged his image. A couple of days later he took on the Reliance Company scams, exposing how the company had made hundreds of crores through their political bribery.

 
In fact, Kejriwal’s exposures were nothing but hit and run cases. Except Gadkari who is facing threat to his position, nothing has come out of the other scams exposed by him. After managing huge media image, he chose to formally launch his aam admi party and seems to have limited his knowledge of the country to the North India. He has completely left out South India from the purview of the AAP.

 
This was not unexpected. Kejriwal or even the IAC had not touched the unimaginable corruption related scandals in Southern states and also non-Congress states. Interestingly a leader of IAC in Bengaluru who contested the council elections from the Graduates Constituency from Bengaluru had put up a very good fight and gathered substantial votes. By any stretch of imagination, this is a credible performance by an individual who simply did not spend on the elections. Now even this gentleman has been ignored by Kejriwal.

 
Kejriwal perhaps is under the impression that he can launch a political party aimed at fighting the corruption and run it without money. It is to be recalled that Anna Hazare’s IAC was funded by many corporate bodies. There was no way for the IAC to spend lakhs and lakhs on holding agitations, publicity etc. Kejriwal also needs hundreds of crores to prepare the party for the elections. Curiously he is confident that AAP will win more than 350 seats in the elections and form the next government at the centre.

 
By naming the party as Aam Adami Party, he has showed the lack of understanding of the country. By packing the party with people from Hindi heartland, he has proved that he has no understanding of the geographic, linguistic and plurality of the country. And he wants the people to elect at least 350 AAP candidates in the next parliament elections to make him the Prime Minister so that he can eradicate corruption. That is all!

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter ARTICLE 371 FOR HK REGION? BJP’S PLAYS DOUBLE STANDARDS!

By Firoz.T.Totanawala 

The Bangalore Metro Reporter

ARTICLE 371 FOR HK REGION? 

BJP’S PLAYS DOUBLE STANDARDS! 

The BJP has played havoc over the Hyderabad-Karnataka (HK) issue vis-a-vis Section 371. After a long struggle, the Central Government had tabled the Bill to amend Article 371 to accord special status to the Hyderabad-Karnataka (HK) area which would promote the all round development of the area, otherwise famous as the most backward area. As is natural, the Bill went to the Sub Committee headed by BJP’s leader Venkaiah Naidu. The other day the committee tabled its report asking the government to rethink on the issue after consulting and incorporating the state government’s (that is BJP government’s) opinion! 

The report is nothing but negation of the Bill. The central government has introduced the Bill after long discussions-deliberations with all political parties and leaders. More than anything, the people of HK area have welcomed the move even though it fell short of their demands. As this is a constitutional amendment bill, it was referred to the Subject committee of the Parliament comprising of representatives of various political parties headed by a member of the opposition. Presently the committee is headed by Venkaiah Naidu, a former BJP President and a Rajya Sabha member from the state. 

It was expected that the Sub Committee would clear the Bill which would proceed to be passed by the parliament in the ongoing winter session. People in the state were confident of the Bill particularly so when the Chairman of the committee is the two time Rajya Sabha member from the state. Once the Bill becomes law, the people of the HK area would have got preferential treatment in infrastructure projects, education, employment etc. because they will be provided with the protection by the constitution. 

But, people were shocked and disappointed when they learnt that the parliamentary Sub Committee shot down the provisions of the Bill on the simple excuse that the state government opinion has not been obtained before the Bill was tabled in the Loksabha! Venkaiah Naidu, the Chairman has let down the state which gave him the political power. 

Apparently, the central government had consulted all the interested parties including the state’s BJP government before tabling the Bill in the Loksabha. In fact when the Cabinet Committee cleared the Bill and the same was tabled in the Loksabha, it was celebrated all over the HK area. 

Arguably, the state government too had agreed to the Bill and the CM even had gone to Delhi for this purpose. The state should have no objections for providing special status under Art-371 to the HK area. Even in the past, the successive CMs have taken all party delegation to Delhi to press for the same. There may be some differences over the exact amendment - is it under Art-371(a), or like Vidharba model or Telangana model etc. And finally the central government zeroed on separate Art-371(j) to deal with the demands of the HK area issue. 

Arguably, the rejection is necessitated more for political reasons. Normally the Chairman will have the final word in the report. So, why did Venkaiah Naidu shot down the Bill on some flimsy or to that matter, non existing excuse? It is here lays the crux. Everybody knows that the four central ministers S.M.Krishna, Veerappa Moily, Muniyappa and Mallikarjuna Kharge had lobbied hard for Art-371 to the HK. Kharge was on the forefront and when the central government cleared the Bill for tabling the same in the parliament, it was hailed as a gift from the Congress. The Congress was sure to cash it on in the state elections and definitely they deserved the credit. 

But BJP was very much concerned about the Congress taking credit. Moreover, the BJP had all along been not in favour of giving Art-371 to HK area. Everybody knows that during the NDA regime, the then Deputy PM and Home Minister L.K.Advani had categorically rejected the demand for Art-371 to the HK. In fact, L.K.Advani, in a letter to the then Chief Minister S.M.Krishna had ruled out the possibility of according special status to HK area. So, the BJP’s role in the episode is suspect from the beginning. 

As the elections to the state assembly is round the corner and if the UPA government get the bill passed in the ongoing winter session of the parliament, one can be sure of the Congress getting a groundswell of support in the elections. The BJP, on the other hand is desperately trying to keep its house in order what with the former CM B.S.Yeddyurappa divorcing the BJP and prospect of toppling the present government. As things stand today, the BJP wants to deny the Congress of any advantage from the HK area getting special status under Art-371. Venkaiah Naidu, the MP from the state was romped in to do the damage control. Naidu who is the Chairman of the parliamentary committee on Home Affairs has done the hatchet’s man job by rejecting the Bill tabled in the parliament. This eventually makes the Bill acceptance, a remote possibility. 

Naidu, had to invent any excuse for this betrayal. He says that the state government was not consulted before tabling the Bill in the Loksabha. The hard fact is that both Houses of the state Legislature had passed a unanimous resolution asking the central government to accord special status to HK area. In fact, the Bill contains the resolution of the Houses in the preamble! Besides, the state government had out of blue, demanded special status on par with Telangana! And Venkaiah Naidu wants this to be considered before bringing the Bill afresh. 

Interestingly, the Jagadish Shettar government which had suddenly changed its stand from a special provision to Telangana model, just a few days before the winter session of the parliament was to begin, had not consulted the opposition parties and the leaders of the HK movements. Then, why this sudden Volta facie? The answer is purely politics. 

As per the Bill, the HK are will be brought under Art-371 by inserting clause ‘J’. The 371(J) deals with special status to the area in infrastructure, education, employment etc. in addition to constitution of the Development Council. The Development Council implies statutory funding and liberal grant from the central government. As is usual, the governor has to take a final call on its activities, spending etc. And this is not acceptable to the state government which wants the governor to act as its sub ordinate. It is to be recalled that the governor is bound to act on the advice of the cabinet except in rare exceptional situations. 

Allegedly, the state government does not want Development Council because it is an autonomous body and answerable to the legislature. Instead the BJP wants only special status in respect of education employment and industries. There is no reason or logic in BJP government’s sudden change of heart. Venkaiah Naidu’s strategy in coming to the rescue of BJP has become a tragedy. The leaders of the HK agitation have strongly demanded the withdrawal of the state government’s position and let the Bill in the present form to be passed. Finally taken aback at the strong protest, Jagadish Shettar and his BJP government have changed their stand and petitioned the central government to bring the Bill in the present form itself. That is all.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE SBM STAMP PAPER SCAM- 5 THE SHOCKING WHITE COLLAR SCAM BY A BANK & REGISTRATION DEPARTMENT! THE 5th BLUNDER- FORGED CHALLANS & DD’S

By Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter 

THE SBM STAMP PAPER SCAM-5 

THE SHOCKING WHITE COLLAR SCAM BY A BANK & REGISTRATION DEPARTMENT!

THE 5th BLUNDER- FORGED CHALLANS & DD’S 

 We continue our series of exposure on the State Bank of Mysore Stamp Paper scam. In our last issues, we revealed that the SBM had no written agreement with the Government to print and sell Stamp Papers of various denominations on its own. Further, while it did print it, the stamp papers of SBM had its own different designs with lapses in the security features as prescribed by the government. All this undertakings were based merely on a proposal letter. And further, SBM defaulted on its reconciliation duty as proposed by itself. It drastically failed to submit its daily scrolls to its attached sub registrar and monthly scroll to IGR & CS.

The SBM miserably failed in its reconciliation part and in such circumstances, the manipulations were bound to take place.

Normally about Rs. 100-150 crores worth of stamp papers of smaller denominations were sold in the state then. These papers were used for agreements, affidavits, indemnity bonds etc. which are non-registrable. As majority of these SBM sheets were not brought for registrations, there can be no exact account in this regard.

Arguably, the biggest and worst fraud in SBM Stamp Paper scam episode that had rocked the department is the Bank Challan fraud. This fraud is worst than Telgi scam. As an arrangement, as described in earlier issues, the then IGR had permitted the SBM to collect the stamp duty and issue a Receipt and the same receipt had to be produced to the Sub Registrar (SR) as proof for payment of stamp duty. Each of SBM branch was designated with an SR office and the SBM had to collect the stamp duty with respect to the designated SR office only. The branch had to send stamp duty collection scroll to the SR office every day. The receipts popularly known as Challans were issued by the SBM branch after collecting its commission.

This system created havoc especially in Bangalore as tempering of the challans became regular. Many of the bank’s staffs are not saints. There was the real danger of Bank clerks writing different amount in the challan and counter foil! If they write one thousand in the challan, they can write ten thousand in the counterfoil! As per their records one thousand has been remitted to the Bank. And the counter foil which shows ten thousand had to be submitted to the SR office as proof of stamp duty payment. So, as per government figures, ten thousand is added while it is only one thousand as per the Bank. As the Banks consolidate collections from all the branches and submits the total figure, there was no way one could check the documents or SR wise office collections. Had the Bank’s branches sent daily scrolls to the SR offices every day, such fraud could not have taken place, as the accounts in the SR office had to be reconciled with the scroll at the end of the day.

Not that only bank staff but also the Department’s staff could do this sort of tempering. This fraud by many officials of the department shall put Karimlala Telgi in to shame. This fraud was the direct outcome of the senseless abolition of the stamp papers and the total lack of control by the top brass of the department.

The fraud went unnoticed for years till few public complained of challan tampering by the Sub Registrar.

The modus operandi was very simple. There were three types of frauds.

First was the tempering of Bank challans. The bank challans counterfoil was tempered by altering the amount. If the amount paid to bank was 5 thousand, the same was altered to 55 thousand, 35 thousand etc. and the ‘altered’ counterfoils were taken as the proof for stamp duty payment. By this fraud, the government lost heavy amount. While the government accounts showed one figure, the Banks figure showed a differing amount.

The second type was that of using the same challan for another registration.The modus operandi was very simple. Once the challan was used for registration, it was again used for another registration some days later as to avoid detection. The challans submitted from 1st to 9th of every month for registration used to be used again for registration from 11th to 19th by prefixing numbers before the original date of challan. If it was not used by day between 11th to 19th due to holidays etc. the same receipts were used between 21st to 29th day by adding number ‘2’ before the date of challan.

The third type of fraud was simply simple. They just wrote some challan numbers and amounts and registered the document. In this type, there was no tempering, as there were no challans at all! The stamp duty amount so cheated used to be shared between the parties and the officials. Apart from these three type of fraud, there was yet another method of using the same challan without tempering to more than one registration!.

How this sort of fraud could can take place with all the government control over revenue collection at every stage, one may ask. But the hard reality is that the fraud had been committed for years.

There is Treasury- there is District Registrar, there is AIGR (Audit) DIGR (Audit) and IGR, a chain of officers who have to look after the revenue collection. Then there is audit by the dept and also by the Account General. The District Registrar holds meeting of the SRs every month where revenue collections and functioning of the SR offices are reviewed. The report had to be reconciled and the report had to be submitted to the District Registrar before the monthly meeting. The reconciled accounts had to be sent to the IGR office also. Moreover, the dept used computers and internet and as such there was no problem of any delays in getting the account updated.

But still the fraud went undetected. The entire fraud seems to have thrived on the failure of the entire system. At every stage, there was lack of control supervision and above all auditing by the department, by the Treasury and by the AG team. That is all!

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter SHOCKING BUT TRUE! BDA SOLD LANDS AT 2.75 LAKHS PER ACRE TO NON-ELIGIBLE BODY. INTENDED TO BENEFIT ITS OWN EMPLOYEES!

By Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter

SHOCKING BUT TRUE! 

BDA SOLD LANDS AT 2.75 LAKHS PER ACRE TO NON-ELIGIBLE BODY. INTENDED TO BENEFIT ITS OWN EMPLOYEES! 

 The Bangalore Development Authority has sold 33 acres of land at the rate of 2.75 lakhs per acre and that too, to an organization which is barred from taking up housing activities! Strange but true. And the beneficiaries are the employees of BDA who have been shown this extra ordinary and unimaginable favour by the BDA. While the BDA has made bulk allotment of 10 acres to a housing society at the rate of 1.27 crores per acre, it broke its own rules to allot 33 acres of land for a paltry sum of 88.31 lakhs! And what more, even gomal lands have been gifted in this shabby transactions.

Nobody grudges the BDA employees getting allotment of sites as part of a welfare measure. But here too, they have to apply for sites like any ordinary public as the BDA Act and Rules stipulate that only those who apply for the sites whenever BDA invites for the application are eligible to get allotment. There is a discretionary quota of the government for allotment of sites to distinguished people who have serve the state like eminent sports person, defense personal etc. but here too, the quota is fixed and the BDA employees cannot claim allotment under this category except in cases if they happen to be distinguished persons. But still, they were given out of turn allotment.

Few employees of BDA formed a BDA Employees Welfare Association and registered it with the registrar of societies. This is not a co-operative society, but was meant to work for the welfare of the employees in educational, sports and cultural aspects. In fact the society registered under Karnataka firms and societies act is barred specifically from taking up any activities except education, culture, religious and sports. If the by law contains any mention of financial and housing activities, the society cannot be registered at all. Section 3 of the societies act clearly stipulates the aims and objectives of the society. Moreover, any profits arising out of the activities of the association cannot be shared by the members. This is a must condition for societies registered under this act. On the face of it, the BDA employees’ welfare society cannot indulge in housing or financial activities.

But the leaders of the association turned it into a real estate agency and the BDA became the facilitator to this business. Without going into the details like eligibility or otherwise of the association, the BDA had gracefully sold a large extent of land to this association for a song, and that too for taking up estate agency! At the maximum, the association can apply for CA site and that too whenever BDA calls application for allotment of CA sites to particular purpose. More than this the association under no circumstance can take up housing activities. If they do indulge in it, then it is illegal and the society’s registration has to be cancelled by the registrar of the societies.

However, the association without conducting the activities as stipulated under the law, had petitioned the BDA to allot bulk lands so that the association can form the layout and distribute sites to its members.

One does not comprehend how the BDA entertained this petition at the first instance itself? Does not the top brass of BDA know that a welfare association cannot apply for a bulk allotment of lands to indulge in real estate business? Only housing co-operative societies registered under co-operative societies act can apply for bulk allotment of land to take up housing projects for the benefit of its members.

But instead of rejecting the application by a non eligible body, the then BDA commissioner thought it fit to accept the application. Not just that, but the BDA finally allotted 33 acres in an up market Doddakalasandra and hurriedly executed a sale deed in favour of the association in November 2006. It had also given some more lands to the association at Lingadevarapura. This is the first major illegal action.

And what was the rate of bulk allotment? Let us compare for better understanding. In 2005, the government in the wake of the Akravathi Layout scam had limited bulk allotment to 10 acres. Based on this limitation, the BDA in its meeting held on 07-11-2006 had allotted 10 acres of lands in Ramesandra village to one Kanakasari Housing Building Co-operative Society. For them, the BDA had fixed a rate of Rs. 1.27 crores per acre. After the housing society paid Rs. 12.74 crores, the BDA executed a sale deed in favour of the society. So the rate of bulk allotment was Rs. 1.27 crores per acres.

Any sane man in his senses would think that the BDA would have applied this same rate in respect to the BDA employees Association. But shockingly, the BDA simply ignored its own rates in respect of the BDA employees’ welfare association. Rather it allotted 33 acres, hold your breath for a paltry sum of 88.31 lakhs! That comes to a meager about Rs. 2.75 lakhs per acre which is less than Rs. 7/- per Square feet.

For a bonafide housing co-operative society, the BDA levied Rs. 1.27 crores per acres, while for its own employees’ association which is barred from taking up housing activities under the law, it had levied only Rs. 2.75 lakhs per acre! Allegedly, the market rate of the property runs in crores per acre!

The BDA employees are not special class citizens so much so that the BDA should go out of the way to allot 33 acres to a welfare society formed by few employees of BDA. By any stretch of imagination, there was absolutely no need for BDA to make allotment of lands to a benami association floated by few of its employees and that too at a nominal amount which was 60 times lower than BDA’s own rate of allotment! Nobody can defend this highly illegal act. This is a second illegality.

The third major illegality in this episode is in the collection of crores of rupees by this welfare association from the employees promising sites in this land. The sital deposits, installments etc. cannot be collected by a private association without the specific permission from the RBI. While the housing co-operatives are legally entitled to collect money from the members, a welfare association is not. It can raise funds through membership, donations and charity, but it cannot be a profit making body. It has no legal status to collect deposits from the members promising sites. One rough estimate puts that the association had already collected more than Rs. 8 crores from the people and a major part of it was spent on layout formation.

In case of housing co-operative, if there are misappropriations, illegal acts, misuse of power by the directors, a member can take up the complaint with the registrar of co-operative societies. There are provisions to recover the misappropriated amount from the directors through attachment of their properties, imprisonment, superseding, taking over of the management by the government etc. Bit, in case of a welfare society registered under societies act there is no such remedy. What if few employees complain to the registrar of the societies about the housing activities of the association and its collection of deposits from the employees? The registrar has to cancel the registration of the association as all the deals are in black and white. Then, what will be the fate of the deposits of the members and the non-members in the society? Even the RBI can intervene and ban collection of deposits. The law clearly states that no individuals, organization or a firm can collect any deposit without the specific permission from the RBI. The members’ deposit to the tune of several crores will be lost in case of cancellation of registration and RBI’s ban on collecting deposits by this association.

Interestingly, these lands were acquired for JP Nagar 9th stage and the lands survey Numbers 15, 16 and 17 are gomal lands except a small extent allotted to individuals. The BDA has acquired the lands in 1991 itself. As per the law, the gomal lands cannot be allotted to any body as they are community properties. Only in rare cases government can allot it to SC/ST’s. And as per the Supreme Court order, the lands once acquired cannot be denotified.

On the face of it the BDA has acquired lands for its JP Nagar 9th stage in 1991. But, the BDA had not used the land for the specific purpose and after a gap of 15 years, had suddenly denotified the lands from JP Nagar 9th stage and sold it to a set up association for a pittance. When the BDA does not utilize the lands for a scheme for it had acquired, the land goes back to its original nature and here the lands remain as gomal lands. When the gomal lands cannot be allotted / granted to anybody, then how was the same allotted to this set up association! Any Comments!!!

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter KRIDL’S UNIQUE MANIPULATION! JV with Ramalingam Company: Company offered 5% service charges; MD settled for only 3%!

By Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter

 

KRIDL’S UNIQUE MANIPULATION!  

JV with Ramalingam Company:  Company offered 5% service charges; MD settled for only 3%! 

The Ramalingam Construction Company (RCC) which bid for TN Housing Board's Mega project on behalf of KRIDL (ex-Karnatka Land Army Corporations) was prepared to pay the normal service charge of 5% to the Corporation. But the then MD of KRIDL G.C.Prakash (now transferred) got the Board to approve only 3% service charge! The TNHB project, for which the KRIDL is the third lowest bidder with 38% above SR, is to be executed by the Ramalingam Construction Company (RCC) from the bidding to completion stage, in the name of the corporation. On paper, the KRIDL will be executing agency but in reality, it is the RCC which does everything. Why did the ex-MD settle for 3% while in fact the company was prepared to pay 5% service charge?

In order to grab a mega project of Tamil Nadu Housing Board in Chennai, the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Limited (formerly KLAC) has lent its 'name' to a private company. This is just like KRIDL acting on behalf of a private company to grab the mega project in the name of the corporation and getting a certain percentage as royalty or service charge! As this private company based in Erode, does not have the eligibility to bid for the tender, it approached the corporation and convinced the then MD G.C.Prakash to lend the corporation's name for the tender process. It is just like the corporation acting as the benami company of the private company Ramalingam Coustruction Company (RCC) which opened its office in Bengaluru.
As per the tie up, the RCC would be authorised to participate in the tender on behalf of the KRIDL. The RCC would pay the EMD and other financial and technical factors and decide the bid amount. The company will execute the project at their cost. If the tender is awarded to KRIDL, it is the RCC which makes investments and completes the work. And as the project would be awarded to KRIDL, the TN Housing Board will pay the Bill to the KRIDL which in turn releases the amount to RCC. To put it simply, KRIDL will be only a ‘name lending’ agency!
It all began with RCC writing a letter to the then MD of KRIDL G.C.Prakash, drawing his attention to the Tamil Nadu Housing Board’s tender for construction of multi storied residential complex and office complex at ONGC campus in Chennai and showing its interest to apply for the tender by associating with KRIDL. The MD of RCC wanted the KRIDL to authorise them to participate in the tender and take up the work if the tender is awarded to KRIDL. The RCC in its letter had made it clear that they will invest their own finance from the application to tender form to the completion stage. And what more, the RCC had agreed to pay the normal service charge of 5% to the KRIDL on back to back basis.

This implies that after the work gets started, the TNHB will release the running bill amount to the KRIDL and KRIDL in turn will release the amount to the RCC after deducting 5% service charge. It is to be recalled that KRIDL charges 5% service charge for all the works executed by it entrusted by the government and government agencies.

Regarding the tender, RCC participated in it on behalf of KRIDL and quoted 38% above SR. This implies that the project will cost a little over 175 crores. If all goes well and the RCC completes the work, the Corporation will be getting about 8.75 crores as service charges for mere name lending. As these mega projects drag over for more than two years, there would be escalation etc which finally may reach Rs. 200 crore! But, if the work was found to be unsatisfactory and sub standard, what would be the result? The TN government as it is today will not even bait an eye lid to blacklist the KRIDL! And why did the KRIDL without knowing the antecedents of RCC allow itself to be used as its front?

Whatsoever, G.C.Prakash, the ex-MD of the Corporation is allegedly, a notorious corrupt official who would do anything for money. He clinched a deal with the RCC in a hurry through his legman Balasubramaya, a DD. What more, he got a resolution passed by the Board in a hurry. As the Chairman Chikkana Gowdar too is allegedly possessive of money, Prakash easily misled him and got the board to authorise the RCC to bid for the tender in the name of KRIDL (Additional Subject No 170-A 5) on the pretext of Joint Venture on 13-7-2012 itself.

Interestingly, Prakash had shown his manipulative skills by making the Board to accept 3% service charges instead of the normal 5% service charge. In fact, the RCC itself had agreed to pay 5% service charges to the KRIDL. 3% service charge means that if the project is executed by the RCC satisfactorily, the KRIDL would be getting about 5 crores as service charge. And interestingly RCC itself had agreed for 5% service charge which comes to 9 crores! It is also said that Prakash had not brought the offer of 5% services charge by RCC to the notice of the Board.
This is not the end of the story. Even though the RCC had never asked for any financial help from the corporation, Prakash got the Board to approve advancing a credit of Rs. 18 crores to the RCC against bank guarantee. It is another matter that KRIDL used to release 20% of the contract amount to the sub contractors as advance against bank guarantee. In spite of the company not asking for any financial or technical support, why did Prakash force the Board to advance 18 crores credit?

What is the implication of this huge advance provided to the RCC without asking for the same? On the face of it, the project may drag on for more than two years. And this 18 crores advance to the RCC is a dead investment without any return. Mere Bank interest of this amount would have fetched KRIDL around 4 crores. And what is the total service charge the KRIDL gets from RCC at 3%? It is about 5 crores! The difference is just one crores! Is it justifiable by any stretch of imagination that the KRIDL would stake its reputation, credibility and money for the sake of one crore earnings and that too over a period of time? It is obvious that Prakash and the Chairman would be having their share in the “credit” business.

Of course, the KRIDL's (or RCC) bid is the third lowest. Being a state government undertaking and considering the hundreds of crores of works done by it in the last couple of years, it still stands a chance to get the contract. But there are some suspicions about the corporation getting the contract as the other companies who have participated in the tender are sore over the tricks played by RCC with active connivance of the KRIDL. Strictly speaking, the KRIDL stands to lose in the entire contract.

At the same time, Prakash and Chikkana Gowdar have heavily benefitted by agreeing to 3% service charge against the 5% and advancing 18 crores unnecessarily to the company. At the end of the successful completion of the project, the KRIDL can get at the maximum one crore as service charges deducting the interest part of the 18 crores advance to the company. This is how IAS officers take everybody granted and make crores and crores. Interestingly, Prakash was the 'guest' of Lokayukta also and that explains everything. More shockingly, GC Prakash, is been transferred to even more plum post in spite of enquiries pending against him. G.C. Prakash is now, the DC Bangalore Urban. That is all.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE SBM STAMP PAPER SCAM- 4 THE 4th BLUNDER- NO RECONCILIATION

By Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter

THE SBM STAMP PAPER SCAM-4 

THE 4th BLUNDER-  NO RECONCILIATION

In our last issues, we revealed that the State Bank of Mysore had no written agreement with the Government to print and sell Stamp Papers of various denominations on its own. Further, while it did print it, the stamp papers of SBM had its own different designs with lapses in the security features as prescribed by the government. All this undertakings were based merely on a proposal letter.

In this issue, we explain you how the SBM defaulted on reconciliation duty as proposed by itself.
When, the Government had planned to stop the sale of Stamp Papers in wake of Telgi Scam, the SBM was invited to submit a proposal. The SBM then submitted a proposal on 05/04/2003 to IGR & CS with regard to collection of Stamp Duty by issuing receipts on behalf of the Government. It is but obvious that there has to be a serious discipline in maintaining the records of these transactions and also in reconciliation. However, it is saddening that there has been a terrible lapse in reconciliation of the records.

In its proposal dated 05/04/2003, the SBM had clearly offered to submit daily scrolls of the transactions to the attached Sub-Registrar and Regional Office on daily basis for reconciliation; and to IGR & CS once a month. It proposed that “ At the end of every working day, the Bank will submit a scroll either electronically or by hard copy, giving the details of transactions like the receipt numbers, name of the depositors, amount deposited etc”. The same was also insisted by the IGR & CS. However, the SBM has never sent daily scrolls to its attached Sub-Registrar and Regional Office.

According to the Note issued by the District Registrar on 21/02/2004, it states that,” However, the requirement is that a scroll of the remittances should be sent to the Treasury and the RO at the end of each day as per the Oral Agreement. The Bank is also expected to send a consolidated scroll of all the payments made in all the branches to the IGR & CS at the end of the month. This is not happening in practice at present. Thus there is no reconciliation of the payments and the Sub Registrars certify the payment on the basis of the receipts produced by the party to the document without any verification. There would be a disastrous situation, if the receipt is faked and there is no way to verify”. Further, SBM was also required to send monthly transaction details every month to IGR & CS for verification and record. However, the SBM also failed here. It sent the monthly scroll to IGR & CS for a month or two only.

The note by the District Registrar clearly states that “The arrangement with the SBM was to give a consolidated statement along with scroll, every payments of the state to the Directorate of Treasury and to the IGR & CS also. However, this is also not happening at present except for the month of April or so (2004). As a result we are the department is in dark as to the exact duty collected in this case.

This also means the Sub-Registrar also has no knowledge about the stamp duty collected and also there is a very high chance of manipulation of amount by the SBM staff since there is no daily reconciliation. For e.g., Rupees 1,00,000/- received as Stamp duty can be recorded as Rupees 10,000/- since there is no daily scroll submitted and reconciliation is not done every day.

What is more worrying is that it is almost impossible to reconcile the records now since there have been serious lapses in the procedure. In the initial stage itself, while authorizing the SBM to collect Stamp Duty, the arrangement was made in such a way that each designated area will have a Sub-Registrar and that particular SR will be attached with an SBM branch in that area. Now any public, who desired registration in a particular area, should only approach the SBM branch of that particular area for payment of duty. Further, every SR was instructed to accept the receipt of Stamp Duty only from their respective attached and designated SBM branch. However, due to public pressure, the Sub-Registrar collected receipts issued by any of the SBM branch. This would never allow a reconciliation since no one can know which receipt issued by bank has gone where. The same is also stressed by the District Registrar in his Note dated 21/02/2004.

Indeed, there could be manipulation to the tune of several crores and that simply means the Government lost its valuable revenue and the public money went to crooks.

In reply to an RTI dated 20/04/2009, asking the SBM to give the Copies of Reconciliation of accounts of every year starting from 01/04/2003 up to 31/03/2009, the Bank replied on 19/05/2009 saying that “This is to be done by IGR & CS”.

Further, when the RTI was filed with IGR & CS on dated 27/05/2009, asking for the Copies of the Reconciliation of Accounts every year from 01/04/2003 up to 31/03/2009, shockingly, the IGR & CS wrote a letter to SBM directing them to give the reconciliation copies since these details are with them. They issued us a copy of the same letter in reply to our RTI.

The state also has no means of verifying the exact amount of stamp duty collected and also stamp papers sold for the purpose of Non-Registerable articles like agreement, power of attorney’s bonds etc. as reconciliation has not been done for so many years. Again, there is no chance of any foreseeable reconciliation in days to come in the absence of submission of daily scrolls by the Banks to the Sub Registry offices. Consequently, since there is no reconciliation with any Government department, hence, the figures claimed by the SBM, whether true or false have to be accepted by the department.

No Authority, No Supervision

If the State Government had instructed the SBM to collect the Stamp duty on its behalf, then it had to be more transparent. There should obviously be authorities responsible and liable with regard to issues relating to the Stamp duty collection. However, unfortunately, there was no authority genuinely responsible, accountable and liable for the same.

The most astonishing fact is that as per IGR & CS Letter obtained through RTI, the SBM itself was in charge of printing, selling and accounting of Stamp Papers. No Government representative or any one from the Department of Stamps and Registration was allotted the authority to oversee the accounting of Stamp Papers. All the details as furnished by the SBM, was blindly accepted as true and binding by the Government. Further, another shocking fact is that as per Government Order, if anything goes wrong or any kind of problem arises with respect to Stamp Paper or Stamp Duty Collections, the SBM authorities would be held responsible for the same. That simply means that the authorities of Departments of Stamps and Registration are all dummies. They were merely sitting and eating up public money officially without doing their duty of supervising, controlling, inspecting and accounting the Printing and collection of Stamp Duty by SBM.

How can an activity of such importance like the revenue collection run on passing the buck game? If the Stamp Paper racket by Telgi was a huge scam, then what does this system practiced by the Government authorities and the SBM is called? How can the operation of stamp paper machinery which is in tunes of crores of rupees be blindly handed over to SBM, to be controlled as per its whims and fancies.

In reply to an RTI with SBM dated 18th April 2009, asking whether there is any authority either from the Governments or IGR & CS department’s side to inspect and supervise the Stamp Paper activities, the SBM clearly replied as ‘NO’. In that case, the full and final authority with regard to the Stamp Papers, by default was SBM. Then, how can anyone prove genuineness of the facts and figures as disclosed by the SBM? Further, while the Government has clearly mentioned that SBM authorities will be responsible for any lapses or frauds, it sounds suspicious as to why the Government put this condition in first place and why did the SBM authorities accept this criteria?

It should be noted that there is also no supervision done by anyone from the department or from the Government’s side. An RTI was filed with the IGR & CS department on 02nd June 2009, asking them to give me details of Stamp Papers printed and sold by SBM from 01st April 2003 to 31st March 2009. In reply, the department sent me a copy of a letter which they sent to SBM asking them to provide me the details and in turn informing me to collect the said information from them. That logically means that the department does not have any information with regard to number of Stamp Papers printed and sold by SBM.

Besides, the department also does not have any information about the Stamp duty collected from Non-registerable documents by SBM through its Stamp Papers. It also does not know how much money the SBM has remitted in the Government Treasury and they are also unaware about the details of sale of Stamp Papers in various denomination. The above information was requested through an RTI dated 27th May 2009, but, the department in turn asked SBM to provide the information. 

 To be continued…..

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter VOTING TIME? Possible Dissolution of Assembly, Elections in February?

By Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter

VOTING TIME? 

Possible Dissolution of Assembly, Elections in February? 

With the onset of the Aaya Ram - Gaya Ram season, it is becoming distinctly clear that the Assembly may be dissolved soon. In all likelihood, the Election Commission may hold the elections in February next year unless the centre opts for President’s rule for six months. In fact, all the parties except BJP are favouring elections. The Congress has started engineering defections from other parties. B.S.Yeddyurappa is making all out efforts to snatch as many leaders from BJP and other parties as possible.

December 9th, is the D-Day for both BJP and B.S.Yeddyurappa. On this day, Yedurappa will hold a rally in Haveri to officially launch his Karnataka Janatha Party. The rally is his show of strength and many ministers, MLAs, MPs are expected to attend the rally. At the same time, the BJP is bracing itself to contain the situation with State BJP President K.S. Eshwarappa asking the ministers and legislators to resign from their posts before taking part in the rally. In a way, the BJP is resigned to the fate of losing the government. If all goes according to the game plan, the BJP may expel the leaders who participate in the rally even if it meant the end of its government.

The Congress is fully energetic more so with the entry of SM Krishna to the state politics. It is engineering defections from other parties. The other day, the Congress claimed that it had sent the proposal to the high command for admission of over a dozen BJP MLAs and even JD(S) MLAs into the party! The Congress, this time hopes to get to the power by default and that is why it is pressing for early elections. There are also rumours of few Congress leaders holding discussions with KJP to join the bandwagon of Yedurappa.

The BJP too has already geared up for the elections. The uncertainty over Yedurappa’s desertion from the party is over. They have resigned to Yedurappa leaving the party and are busy activating their leaders and cadres. They knew very well that even if Yedurappa was leading its election campaign, the party cannot come to power. Without Yedurappa, they could display some sort of a clean party image notwithstanding the fact that more than 15 Ministers are facing corruption charges in various courts and 13 ministers have to go because of serious charges, over the last four years. The exit of Yedurappa may not harm the party substantially as most of Yedurappa’s loyalists who are joining him in KJP are not physically from BJP. They were all defectors from other parties procured by Yedurappa through the Operation Kamala. As on now BJP will be lucky if it gets 40-50 seats.

The JD(S) on the other hand is also already in the election mode since six months. Its star campaigner HD Kumaraswamy is touring the North Karnataka area extensively bringing back old party leaders to the party fold. In fact, the JD(S) had already decided on the candidates of over 120 constituencies. It is holding mammoth conventions at divisional levels and is concentrating on ‘regional party’ plank.

The BSR Congress floated by B.S.Sriramulu and backed by the Reddy Brothers is also in favour of early elections. B.Sriramulu, the founder of the party is touring the state extensively concentrating on back-ward class votes. The party will get a shot in the arm if it is able to get Janardhana Reddy on bail. It is a well known fact that a couple of BJP MLAs and MPs have completely identified with BSR Congress. Sriramulu wants to prove his hold on few districts like, Bellary, Raichur, Gadag, Chitradurga etc, where his Valmiki community is in majority. The Backward Class Votes are an added advantage.

Compared to all these, Yedurappa is in a mortal hurry to go to elections. He had already purchased the Karnataka Janata Party and wants to show his hold on the masses in the elections. It is another matter that Yedurappa had planned to form the regional party the moment he was asked to resign the CM post on corruption charges. Now that KJP is a reality, he does not want any delay in holding the elections. He may, in frustration, ask his loyalist ministers and legislators to come out of BJP and topple the government. He is under the impression that he will get the whole of lingayat vote bank. He is also trying to woo the minorities and backward classes by promising them large number of tickets.

Except BJP which has conceded defeat half heartedly, all other parties are rearing to go the elections. One can be sure of Yedurappa toppling the government after 9th December. Even otherwise, the governor will come into the picture if the present stalemate continues. One can also be sure of the Chief Minister recommending dissolution of the Assembly if Yedurappa tries to topple the government. Before recommending the dissolution, Jagadish Shettar will have to dismiss the Yedurappa loyalist ministers from the cabinet so that he could pass the dissolution resolution in the cabinet. The Governor will not say ‘no’ to the dissolution recommendations.

And the question is whether there will be immediate elections or a long stint of President’s rule in the state? In all probability, the President’s rule will be a short term affair. In that case, elections are bound to be held in February, as March and April are inconvenient because of academic examination etc. It is another matter that the Election commission may hold the elections six months earlier to the expiry of the term of the Assembly. That is all.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter KSTDC FINALLY WAKES UP! BIAL AIRPORT TAXI SERVICES FRAUD, CHIKKAMATH AND OTHERS SUSPENDED….

By Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter

KSTDC FINALLY WAKES UP!  

BIAL AIRPORT TAXI SERVICES FRAUD, CHIKKAMATH AND OTHERS SUSPENDED….

The KSTDC which is operating Airport Taxi services has now started taking some action against few culprits who have involved in notorious scams. The KSTDC Taxi Service Counter was actually run by Chikkamath, the ATO and the fraudsters who styled as the office bearers of the Bangalore Airport KSTDC Taxi Drivers Welfare Association, particularly its Secretary R.Neelakantappa. They have committed fraud by manipulating the remittances to the KSTDC. In one case, the MD has now suspended the Assistant Manager Chikkamath and two others. At least now, the law is taking its course in KSTDC.... 

We have carried several exposures on the frauds committed in the KSTDC’s Airport Taxi Services monopolised by a self styled office bearers of Bangalore Airport KSTDC Taxi Drivers Welfare Association, a bogus association. Its General Secretary R.Neelakantappa, an outsourced employee of the Corporation, had held both the KSTDC’s Airport Counter and the Taxi drivers to ransom. Whatever he said was law and the ATO Chikkamath was like his orderly. The Taxi drivers who purchased the stipulated luxury cars and attached it to the KSTDC by paying heavy deposit were forced by Neelakantappa and gang to become members of the Association by paying an unimaginable fee of Rs.16500/-. More than anything, the drivers had to work at the mercy and discretion of Neelakantappa and gang which included Chikkamath. 

 The drivers were harassed, victimised and tortured by the Neelakantappa gang. They were fined heavily even for small mistakes. Sometimes, they were denied access cards for days on end for any lapses. The Neelakantappa gang had established its monopoly over the KSTDC Taxi Services. 

Only after the Neelakantappa gangs cleared, the KSTDC used to attach the vehicle for its services. The Call Centre too was under the octopus like grip of Neelakantappa gang. 

 It is another matter that KSTDC is earning crores every year from the Taxi services. The Taxi drivers who attach their vehicles (in fact, the KSTDC has no vehicle on its own), have to pay parking charges of Rs.9000/- per month. They also have to shell out Rs.2000/- as call centre charges. The KSTDC pays about Rs.80/- per day per vehicle to the BIAL as licence for parking and Taxi services and there are about 600 Taxies operating under the banner of KSTDC. Each driver has to pay a security deposit of Rs.30,0000/- to the KSTDC, out of which the Corporation pays Rs.15000/- deposit to the BIAL. The parking fee paid by the Taxi-drivers is almost a lakh per vehicle, while the corporation pays about Rs.30000/- to the BIAL. From this only, one can imagine the KSTDC’s Airport Taxi business. 

 In spite of getting big profits, the KSTDC has not taken even a semblance of Welfare measures to the Taxi drivers. And Neelakantappa gang which styled itself as the Association formed for Taxi Drivers Welfare had literally looted them. No taxi driver could run the Taxi and earn his livelihood by antagonising this gang. Interestingly, the KSTDC has recognised this bogus Association against all known parameters of law. 

 It is another matter that the KSTDC was inflicted heavy loss by Chikkamath and Neelakantappa gang through defalcation and manipulation of collection of fines etc. from the Taxi drivers. We had exposed instances of Chikkamth, Neelakantappa gang collecting heavy fines from Taxi drivers and remitting nominal amount to the KSTDC. What more, all such receipts were generated by the computers! Allegedly, in spite of knowing about the fraud, the MD kept quiet, because Chikkamath is a powerful official with high contacts. The Manager and Asst. Manager in charge of Finance had also submitted a note to the MD and their findings are very serious. They have submitted that Chikkamath and others have not maintained cash books, both written and computerised from 11.12.2008 to 31.5.2012! It is this that made the fraud possible and difficult to detect. Interestingly, the note also found that duplicate receipts have not been maintained. More than anything else, the note also states that the computerised vouchers of fine collections from Taxi drivers have been purposely destroyed so that their fraud could not be detected. Had the MD acted immediately after our exposure, the inspection team would have hit dirt and detected fraud of lakhs of rupees. 

 Whatsoever, the MD has now suspended Chikkamath and two other employees. At least that is a good beginning. That is all.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE SBM STAMP PAPER SCAM- 3 THE SHOCKING WHITE COLLAR SCAM BY A BANK & REGISTRATION DEPARTMENT!

By Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter

THE SBM STAMP PAPER SCAM-3 

THE SHOCKING WHITE COLLAR SCAM BY A BANK & REGISTRATION DEPARTMENT!

Most of us are shocked and frustrated over the Kareem Telgi Stamp Paper scam and consider it a black spot on the Registration Department. But, you will be more astonished over this SBM Stamp paper scam which we bring to you in series and details. We call it a white collar scam because; this has been done in the broad day-light under the very noses of the ‘babus’ with the connivance of the relevant Bank. This would bow the heads in shame for the failure of introducing an effective and a fool-proof alternative system of revenue collection despite the Government having several efficient administrative officers in its corridor. Indeed, the Kareem Telgi Scam appears quite small compared to the scam our elected authorities have operated. There are multiple blunders accrued in this scam and most importantly it is by our own authorized officials, who are liable for safeguarding the public treasury. Here it is unfolded in detail for you. 

THE 3rd BLUNDER- SBM STARTS THE STAMP PAPER BUSINESS WITHOUT MoU OR GOVERNMENT ORDER BUT MERELY ON A PROPOSAL LETTER FROM THE DEPARTMENT. 

 In our last issues, we revealed that the State Bank of Mysore had no written agreement with the Government to print and sell Stamp Papers of various denominations on its own. Further, while it did print it, the stamp papers of SBM had its own different designs with lapses in the security features as prescribed by the government. But then, on what basis did the SBM start printing and selling its own denomination wise stamp papers? 

 With regard to the payment of Stamp duty, the Demand Draft had become compulsory. Other banks including the Co-op Banks, used to issue DDs for stamp duty payment. This was a multi crore business and SBM wanted a clear monopoly over it to earn crores through commissions etc.

Therefore, SBM put forth a proposal before IGR offering to issue ‘Receipts’ in place of DDs for stamp duty payments, at half the rate of commission charged for DDs. As per this proposal, the SBM and in case there was no SBM branch in a particular zone, the SBH or SBI would collect the stamp duty through Receipts. For payment, the parties were required to bring in a calculation sheet from the concerned SRO indicating the amount of stamp duty and Registration fee and the Receipt issued by the branch would be the conclusive proof for payment of stamp duty. At the end of the day, the branch had to send the daily scroll of collections made to the SRO for reconciliation of accounts. 

 By this proposal, the SBM wanted to monopolise the DD business. Who will go to other banks and purchase the DDs at regular commission when they could pay the stamp duty through ‘Receipts’ which charges only 50% of the regular DD commission? The IGR readily agreed with the proposal, but as the stamp duty collections were over Rs. 3000 crores, the IGR had to ink MoU with the SBM specifying the terms and conditions and the operational details. Once the MoU was signed, the government had to issue the necessary Government Order. 

 But no such thing happened. Once the IGR, orally agreed to the proposal, the SBM without waiting for MoU or the Government Order, went ahead and started the Receipt business. Its designated branches started collecting stamp duty through Receipts. Not just that, but shockingly, the SBM branches simply refused to send the daily scroll to the designated Sub Registrar offices as proposed in its proposal. There was no reconciliation and the department too could not discipline the Banks as they had no MoU with them. On the face of it, the ‘Receipt’ business of SBM was highly illegal and unauthorised. 

 Then came the biggest fraud of SBM Stamp papers, which started at the same time. The SBM had put forth a proposal to IGR to allow them to print, pre-printed document sheets of various denominations to tide over the difficulty of the people who were facing hardship in getting small amounts franked or certified. Even though it was nothing but a stamp paper, it was called the document sheet as mere mention of stamp papers was perhaps allergic to the government. 

 IGR, ignorant of the law of the land, readily agreed to this proposal. He sent a letter to the SBM on 26-3-2003 stipulating terms and conditions and wanted the Bank to convey its acceptance so that MoU can be entered with the Bank followed by the necessary government order. 

The conditions were: 

 (a) The SBM should certify on the document sheet (sold by the Department Employees Co-op society) and certify the payment of stamp duty for unregisterable articles. 

(b) The government will pay one percent commission to the Bank for the amount credited to the treasury through certification on document sheets. 

(c) These pre-printed denominations had to be used only for unregisterable articles like Affidavits, agreements, indemnity bonds etc. 

(d) And MoU will be entered with the Bank after the Bank agrees to the above conditions. 

 From the above, it is clear to anybody with a common sense that the letter by the IGR was only a proposal to the Bank expecting the Bank’s communication to express their acceptance of the conditions at the earliest so that a MoU can be signed. 

 But, after getting the IGR’s proposal letter, the SBM’s top brass ignored to convey their acceptance of the terms and conditions and sign the MoU. They simply construed the proposal letter itself as permission from the government and straight away started the stamp paper business. They got the pre-printed denomination wise stamp papers in private printing presses and started selling the stamp papers of Rs.10, 20, 50, 100 and even 500 through their branches. People who faced hardships getting the stamps franked or certified at the SR offices, queued up before the SBM Branches, where the Bank displayed ‘Stamp Papers Sold’ banners. Interestingly, IGR turned the other way when the SBM, SBI and SBH started selling the stamp papers which are just like the banned stamp papers. Apparently, the stamp papers made a back door entry through SBM stamp papers. And mind it; there is not a shred of evidence of the government permission. 

 Despite knowing that the entire business was illegal, no IGR or Revenue Secretary or even the Finance Secretary thought it fit to put a stop to this fraud and file criminal cases against the Bank officials. In fact, in 2007, the then IGR permitted the Bank to print more papers when the Bank submitted that its stock was emptying! Arguably, the IGR has no power or authority to permit such stamp paper business. It is the domain of the central government and state governments have no powers in this regard. 

Unmindful of the consequences, the SBM and its associate Banks continued the illegal stamp paper business. Interestingly, the Sub Registrars refused the SBM stamp papers for registration. They collected the stamp duty as usual and treated the SBM stamp papers as plain sheet. 

 To simply put, the Bank had indulged in the stamp paper business illegally, without a MOU with the government or a Government Order, but merely on a proposal letter. Further, in the due process, it also violated the stipulated conditions of its own submitted proposal. It printed crores of pre-printed denomination wise stamp papers and even blank stamp papers in private printing press, and there is no proper accounting, let alone reconciliation. The entire fraud can be allegedly worse than Telgi. Moreover, while Telgi is a criminal, the SBM officials are respectable and highly paid officials. 

 As far as, the department officials are concerned, the successive IGRs, Revenue Secretaries and even Finance Secretaries allowed the fraud to go unchecked. 

 (To be continued)

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE OPEN LIE! KSTDC AIRPORT TAXI SERVICES, KSTDC ENTERS INTO CALL CENTRE AGREEMENT, BUT, GIVES FALSE RTI INFORMATION.

By Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter

THE OPEN LIE!  

KSTDC AIRPORT TAXI SERVICES,  

KSTDC ENTERS INTO CALL CENTRE AGREEMENT, BUT, GIVES FALSE RTI INFORMATION.

The Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation is running Airport Taxi Services in the Bangalore International Airport. It is making crores in this business without investing a single pie. The 600 plus Taxi owners are operating under the KSTDC banner. They have to pay Rs. 30,000/- as security deposit, Rs. 9000 per month as parking fees and Rs. 2000/- per month to call centre charge to the KSTDC. The KSTDC in turn pays about Rs. 15,000 per vehicle to the BIAL per year as parking charges. All these years, the KSTDC Taxi Services were controlled and monopolised by an employee Neelakantappa who had floated a bogus Association of Taxi Drivers with the convenience of the top officials in KSTDC. Now, the KSTDC has ‘given’ the call centre contract to Neelakantappa Association which is partnering with a private individual. And KSTDC in the RTI reply says that it has no agreement with the Association... 

 In our earlier exposures, we had dealt with the KSTDC Airport Taxi Drivers Welfare Association, a bogus association, harassing, victimising and torturing the Taxi drivers with the active connivance of the KSTDC top brass. One ATO Chickmath had become a member of the Neelakantappa gang in their looting games. The scam was widely reported yet; the KSTDC top brass have cared two hoots for the same and are protecting the gang for obvious reasons.

Whatsoever, the KSTDC has indulged in reeling out mischievous facts (lies) to defend their actions. As far as call centre issue is concerned, the KSTDC top brass have crossed all limits of decency in administration by reeling out utter lies, without bothering about the consequences of taking such liberties with truth. 

The call centre business is a money spinner to few KSTDC officials and Neelakantappa gang. It is another matter that the KSTDC had run the call centre as a mere formality because the Taxi Services agreement with BIAL stipulated an establishment of a call centre. The Taxi drivers were forced to shell out Rs.2000 per month (that is Rs.65 per day, per vehicle) as call centre charges. A simple arithmetic puts the collection of call centre charges at Rs.10 lakhs a month, now 12 lakhs a month. 

On the contrary, the call centre never provided pick up or drop to the majority of the Taxi drivers. It served only the vehicles owned by Neelakantappa gang. In fact, Neelakantappa was the defacto boss of the call centre. The Taxi drivers resented this attitude, but they could do little. Even if they approach the call centre for trips, their requests were forwarded to Neelakantappa gang and only after their clearance, the Taxi drivers would get the trips and that too once or twice in a month. 

Last year, the Neelakantappa gang had decided to take over the call centre. They had clinched a deal with the then MD. The gang wanted to emulate the example of KSTDC by making big money without investing a single rupee. They had an understanding with Vikas global company to run the call centre and share the revenue with them. Later they convinced the MD of the profitability of the arrangement who gave a go ahead to a tripartite agreement for running the call centre. 

In January this year, a tripartite agreement was executed between the KSTDC, Bangalore Airport KSTDC Taxi Drivers Welfare Association and the Vikas Global solutions for running the call centre. This implies that the bogus association is a partner with the Vikas Solutions. As per the agreement executed on 06-01-2012, the call centre would be run by Vikas Globals in partnership with Neelakantappa association; the association has to collect the call centre charges at Rs 65/- per day per vehicle for the first six months. The charges would be increased to Rs 100/- per day per vehicle after six months. Interestingly, out of the Rs 100/- collected, the association will have to pay Rs 60/- to the KSTDC and Rs 40/- to the Vikas Global! This implies that it is the association which has to collect the call centre charges from the driver and pay the KSTDC and the Vikas Global. This further means that at Rs. 100/- per day that is Rs 3000/- per month, the total of call centre collection charges will be 18 lakhs and KSTDC will get 10.80 lakhs and the Vikas 7.20 lakhs per month. 

Considering the looting nature of Neelakantappa gang, one can expect the gang managing 50% of the amount paid to Vikas Globals. It is the Neelakantappa gang which has chosen Vikas and not the KSTDC after following the Transparency Act. It is just that Neelakantappa gang zeroed on Vikas Globals and made a partnership offer of sharing 50:50. For the first six months that is from 06-01-2012, the entire collections have gone to the Vikas (also Neelakantappa gang). The collections during the first six months were 72 lakhs at 12 lakhs per month! 

What more, not a single pie was credited to the association by the gang. Allegedly, the share of the gang was more than 60 percent in the first six months. It can be seen from the agreement that Vikas globals will be entitled to Rs 40/- per day per vehicle as its share, with effect from 01-06-2012. Arguably, the company will be content with Rs 20/-, as it has to share other Rs 20 with the Neelakantappa gang. So, one can very well put the collection of the gang in the first six months at 17.55 lakhs. It is another matter that the gang used to collect the call centre charges through the receipts of their bogus association. 

And now for the machinations of the KSTDC. The agreement was signed by the MD Sundar Naik on behalf of KSTDC, K.Prabhakara Reddy, the President of the bogus association, on behalf of the association and Venkatachalapathi for Vikas Globals. In the agreement, it is clearly mentioned that “Bangalore Airport KSTDC Taxi Drivers welfare Association” is a registered association and recognised by the KSTDC! 

How did the KSTDC come to know that the association is registered? The hard fact is that the association is an unregistered one and does not have the registration number which is a must. The MD who is an IFS officer should have at least asked the association to submit by laws and registration certificate so that it can be recognised! And the ground reality is that this bogus association has not conducted general body meetings, audited the accounts and held elections since 2002. 

In fact, after the series of exposures by ‘TBMR’, the Taxi drivers who were treated like bonded labourers by Neelakantappa gang, revolted against the gang. To show that the association is genuine, Neelakantappa gang called a general body of the association on 26-05-2012. When TBMR revealed that the association is a bogus one, the general body meeting was cancelled hours before it was to start and the gang disappeared from the scene. Still, more than 150 Taxi drivers held the general body and nominated a new set of office bearers and gave them the mandate to register the Association which they later did it under the name of “Bangalore International Airport KSTDC Taxi Drivers Welfare Association”. 

When all these developments, agreements etc are in black and white, the KSTDC in its RTI reply has shockingly mentioned that “there is no agreement between the KSTDC and the Bangalore Airport KSTDC Taxi Drivers Welfare Association”. More shockingly, the same KSTDC has given the copy of the tripartite agreement between KSTDC, Bangalore Airport KSTDC Taxi Drivers Welfare Association and Vikas Global solutions! Then, which is right and which is wrong? One should appreciate the guts and nerve of the KSTDC top brass to provide such white lies in writing? Giving false information to RTI queries is unimaginable and the KSTDC officials have blatantly done that. 

That is all!