Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE AFFIDAVIT OF LIES- 2 BANGALORE DOORDARSHAN DIRECTOR (NEWS), SG RAVEENDRA, FALSE AFFIDAVIT TO GRAB LAND

By Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter

THE AFFIDAVIT OF LIES- 2 

BANGALORE DOORDARSHAN DIRECTOR (NEWS), SG RAVEENDRA, FALSE AFFIDAVIT TO GRAB LAND 

 S.G. Raveendra, the Director (News) in Bangalore Doordarshan provides a classic text book case to bureaucrats about “how to benefit from false affidavits and gain stray sites and still go scot free”. SG Raveendra owns a bungalow in RT Nagar and also owns agricultural lands and a revenue layout on the lands. And to top it all, has obtained a stray site in HSR layout by submitting a false affidavit to the BDA and got the Chief Minister to allot a stray site to him. While the site allotment has taken its toll on many, SG Raveendra is still roaming scot free! 

In our earlier issue, we had exposed the false affidavit scam of SG Raveendra, the Director (News), Bangalore Doordarshan. 

 We had exposed about the allotment of a stray site under Chief Minister’s quota (?) to SG Raveendra in HSR Layout 6th Sector in 2011. Before he was allotted this highly valuable stray site, Raveendra had given an affidavit to the BDA swearing that neither himself nor his wife or dependent children own any site or house in Bangalore. The filing of the affidavit is a must for getting a BDA site allotment. Raveendra had also affirmed that if his affirmations in the affidavit are false, he is liable for penal action including forefeiture of the allotted site and the building built thereon by the BDA without paying any compensation. 

 And now for the crux of the issue, on 24.05.2010, SG Raveendra had sworn an affidavit before the Notary D.S.Chandrakanth and submitted it to the BDA for allottment of site to him. On the basis of this affidavit supported by the direction of the then Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa, the BDA allotted a big site in HSR Layout, VI Sector. The stray site bearing No.1014, HSR Layout 6th Sector has been shown an alternate site allottment! 

 Raveendra had sworn the affidavit on 25.4.2010 by stating that he had no site or house in Bangalore. It goes without saying that the affidavit is insisted by the BDA to prevent more than one site to a family. And what is the real truth vis-a-vis Raveendra filing an affidavit about not having any site or house in Bangalore? 

 The hard fact is that as on 25.4.2010, that is the day Raveendra sworn this affidavit, he had a big house in the posh RT Nagar Layout, in his own name. The house in question bears No.406, I Block, RT Nagar on 40x60 site. It is another matter that this RT Nagar Layout was formed by the BDA. The PID Number for the property being 97-1-406 and the Khatha extract from BBMP states that the owner of the property is S.G.Raveendra and the property came to his name during 2006 though Mutation number 768/06-07! 

 As per the khatha extract, there is a built up area of 2000 sq.feet and is self occupied. The property tax is Rs.5000 per annum. This amply makes it clear that Raveendra does own a house in Bangalore years before he had sworn the affidavit claiming that he has no site or house in Bangalore. This implies that Raveendra had submitted a false affidavit to the BDA for allottment of a stray site which is valued at more than two crores! 

 Apart from this property, Raveendra owns lands in Sy. No.15 of Madanayakanahalli village, near Widia on Tumkur Road. The lands were purchased jointly by Raveendra and his brother who later gave the GPA to SG Raveendra. An unauthorised revenue layout was formed by Raveendra in this land. However, the said lands are not mentioned in Raveendra’s Assets and Liabilities Statement. 

 And what now? As per the BDA Acts and Rules, a person who owns either in his name or in the name of his wife or dependent children, a site or house in Bangalore is ineligible for allotment of sites by BDA. Before getting the allotment, one has to file an affidavit with the BDA to this effect. In the affidavit itself, the person swearing the affidavit clearly states that if the contents of the affidavit are proved to be false, the BDA can forefeit the site or the building on it, without paying any compensation. 

 In the case of Raveendra, on the face of it, it becomes clear that he had submitted a false affidavit claiming that neither he nor his family owns a house/site in Bangalore while the hard fact is that he owned a site in RT Nagar and that too in his own name! Now, the BDA has to allow the law to take its course. First it has to cancel the allottment and resume the site from SG Raveendra and also forfeit the sital amount paid by him. Further, the BDA has to prosecute SG Raveendra under Indian Penal Code for having given false affidavit to grab a highly valuable site. 

 Of course, Raveendra being a government servant and that too, of central government, should have known the repercussions of filing a false affidavit, more than anybody else. Moreover, he is in a high position as Director (News), in Bangalore Doordarshan. What he had done is beyond anybody’s comprehension. Even as per the service rules, he is liable for dismissal from service as he has violated them by making false affidavit. 

 In conclusion, the BDA should resume the stray site allotted to SG Raveendra immediately and forfeit the sital amount. It should also prosecute him for submitting a false affidavit of not owning any house/site in Bangalore while infact, he owns a bungalow in RT Nagar. In addition to this, the Prasara Bharathi should also initiate proceedings against Raveendra for behaving in a manner unbecoming of a civil servant. More than anything else, the BDA should initiate prosecution in criminal court against Raveendra for false affidavit so that it will be a warming signal for others.