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

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!

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE DUAL IDENTITY KPSC ASSISTANT SECRETARY: I AM HERE, I AM THERE One official-Two names…

BY. FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA 

 

THE BANGALORE METRO REPORTER

THE DUAL IDENTITY 

KPSC ASSISTANT SECRETARY: I AM HERE, I AM THERE 

One official-Two names… 

 Ever heard of a Government official holding two posts using two names in official correspondences? Shocking it is but true that an official named M.N Gururaja Rao, presently the Assistant Secretary of KPSC exists as a dual entity. 

 TWO JOBS 

 M.N.Gururaj Rao is an Assistant Secretary of KPSC and also functions as the Secretary of the Lokseva Housing Co-op Society formed by the employees of KPSC. For outsiders, both names and persons seem different, but is actually a same person functioning with double role since decades. And shockingly, no one has the guts to initiate action against him. 

 M.N Gururaj Rao, joined the KPSC as a junior Assistant. 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, all in establishment section and he has also been designated as the public information officer of KPSC. Gururaj 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 and as far as KPSC Members and the Chairmen are concerned, Gururaj is their ‘Advisor’ since many years. 

 NO RENT 

 This is not the story here. M.N.Gururaj Rao functions as the assistant secretary in KPSC and officially becomes M.N. Gururaj to function as the Secretary of Lokseva Housing Co-operative Society. This society is also located in the premises of KPSC and Gururaj need not have to take any permission to house his society in KPSC and uses it free of cost, as he is running the show in KPSC ever since he joined the organization. 

 EXISTING FOR PERSONAL GAINS 

 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. Gururaj purchases lands, gets Government clearances, forms layouts and sells sites to any Tom-Dick and Harry provided they pay the market price. In fact, the KPSC does not have more than 300 employees including officials. But the society has made hundreds of sites in many layouts. Gururaj takes enough care to ‘gift’ big sites to successive Chairmen, Members etc. Presently; outsiders, general public etc. can purchase the sites from this society. Almost the entire KPSC employees who needed sites have been allotted the same long back and as such, legally, the society has to be wound up as it has outlived its utility and served its purpose. There is no reason or logic to continue the society any more. 

 But Gururaj is not prepared to wind it up 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 has acquired lot of clout in the corridors of power and that explains the inaction by the various departments to take action against the illegalities and scams committed by Gururaj in the society. The Co-operative 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. 

 TWO NAMES, TWO SIGNATURES 

 Interestingly, Gururaj is not using his official name in the society for fear of loosing his job of KPSC. He operates by another name and this is known to everybody in the Government and also in the KPSC. In all the correspondences of the society, he uses M.N Gururaj and in KPSC he uses the name of MN Gururaj Rao and smart as he is, he uses different signatures for different posts. Despite knowing this ‘Double’ role of Gururaj, the KPSC has not taken any action against Gururaj till date. 

 Obviously, a Government official holding and working for two different posts again by manipulation of name is a serious offence under the KCS. The case of M.N.Gururaj is a challenge to the law of the land. It is time; the KPSC takes some action against him in this regard.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter GOVERNOR V/S GOVERNMENT - BJP FIGHTS TO SAVE CORRUPTION

BY.FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA 

THE BANGALORE METRO REPORTER

 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 20th 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 OFFENCE IS THE BEST DEFENCE YEDURAPPA INDULGES IN COUNTER OFFENCE AGAINST ALL WHISTLE BLOWERS

BY. FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA 

THE BANGALORE METRO REPORTER

OFFENCE IS THE BEST DEFENCE 

YEDURAPPA INDULGES IN COUNTER OFFENCE AGAINST ALL WHISTLE BLOWERS 

 Chief Minister B.S. 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 H D Deve Gowda and H D 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, Yedurappa started talking of the similar scams in earlier regimes starting from 1995 when H D 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 Yedurappa 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 H D 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 Yedurappa and his BJP government have not taken kindly to the Governor’s actions. 

Moreover, the opposition have met the Governor several times complaining of Yedurappa’s scams and pleading for action. Yedurappa 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!.......

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE LAW SURVIVES Sachindanandanagar Khata Scam HIGH COURT COMES TO THE RESCUE OF LAW

FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA 

THE BANGALORE METRO REPORTER 

THE LAW SURVIVES 

Sachindanandanagar Khata Scam 

HIGH COURT COMES TO THE RESCUE OF LAW 

 TBMR had carried a series of exposures on the Sachindananda Nagar Layout formed by B.Krishna Bhat of Viswa Bharti Housing Co-operative Society and the attempts by site owners to obtain the BBMP khatas to their sites. TBMR had also relentlessly exposed all the illegal acts in this layout and opposed the regularization of the revenue sites. 

 While lakhs of revenue site owners are waiting for the implementation of Akrama-Sakrama to regularize their properties since 2007, few hundred revenue site owners in the Sachindananda Nagar Layout, an illegal layout formed by the notorious B.Krishna Bhat of the equally notorious Viswa Bharti Housing Co-Op Society had through VIP pressure and media power managed to get their sites regularized without paying a penny. However, the High Court has finally come to the rescue of the law of land and stayed the illegal issue of khata certificates to hundreds of revenue site owners in the Sachindananda Nagar Layout in RR Nagar Zone of BBMP. 

 THE ILLEGAL LAYOUT 

 As far as Sachindananda Nagar Layout is concerned, the hard fact is that the land does not belong to the Society as the same has been forfeited to the Government in 2001 itself for violation of Karnataka Land Reforms Act. Firstly, B. Krishna Bhat had purchased the lands in his name using Society funds and on the contrary B. Krishna Bhat was ineligible to purchase agricultural lands. Secondly, the lands even assuming the ownership of B. Krishna Bhat, has not been converted. Thirdly, he has also not obtained the sanction of the BDA to the layout. Therefore, by any means, the entire layout is illegal and in fact, it is not even a revenue layout by strict meaning of law. 

 THE BETTERMENT CHARGES 

 During 1997, the Raja Rajeshwari Nagar CMC (earlier Pattanagere CMC) collected betterment charges from the revenue property owners and regularized them. Few site owners in the Sachindananda Nagar Layout also paid betterment charges and got the khata. But before others in the layout could do so, the Divisional Commissioner directed the CMC to stop collecting the betterment charges from Sachindananda Nagar Layout. This was challenged by B. Krishna Bhat in a civil court and by misleading the court through bogus records; he also got the orders quashed in 2005. It is on the basis of this order that the BBMP was forced to affect the khatas recently. 

 PRESSURE & ROSES 

 Whatsoever, the ownership of the lands as of now stands in the name of the Government. But few influential people approached the Lokayukta with the grievance against the BBMP officials. This group even ‘offered’ Roses to the BBMP Commissioner Siddaiah, who knows every minute details of the scam as he was the BDA Commisioner earlier. He knew well that the BDA had declared this layout as illegal and orders for demolition was issued long back. Another group of property owners were making efforts to get their properties regularized by bribing the BBMP officials and also procuring the support of the local MLAs. While this group went on clinching deals with BBMP officials, the other group made efforts to bring pressure on the BBMP officials through Lokayukta and the media. They too based their case on the civil court’s order quashing the Divisional Commisioner’s direction to the CMC to stop collection of betterment charges. 

 THE FINAL SEIZE 

 The revenue property owners armed with Lokayukta’s direction and accompanied by the electronic media, stormed the BBMP’s RR Nagar Zone office and laid seize demanding that khatas be given to them. Unmindful of the repercussions in violating the law of the land, the RR Nagar Zone’s Joint Commissioner K.M Ramachandran directed the official to issue the khata in the night. Finally, the officials worked overnight and issued the khatas to hundreds of revenue properties in Sachindananda Nagar and interestingly not a single pie was collected as betterment or development fees. In fact, the collection of such charges has been banned in the state since 2000, as CMC’s have no power to collect the same. 

 HIGH COURT STAYS! 

 It is to enable the revenue property owners to get their properties regularized, that the Government brought in the Akrama-Sakrama, a one time settlement scheme in 2006. But till now, the scheme has not been implemented. It provides for onetime payment towards violations under Karnataka Land Reforms Act, Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, Karnataka Municipalities Act and BDA Acts by collecting compounding fines for every violation. It goes without saying that the owners of revenue properties in Sachindananda Nagar can get their properties regularized only under Akrama-Sakrama scheme, and that too, if the Government withdraws the forfeiture of the lands. But they got their properties regularized without the sanction of the law. 

If money and high influence can bend the law of the land then the law will have no meaning. But finally, the High Court has put a stop on this abuse and rape of law. The BBMP Commissioner Siddaiah who waged a relentless battle against B. Krishna Bhat’s Girinagar IV stage, has cut a sorry figure in his Sachindananda Nagar layout. No need to talk of Joint Commissioner K.M Ramachandran, who is possessed about making crores and crores before he retires shortly. It is time the Lokayukta should revisit the issue impartially and also to take a look at KM Ramachandran’s millions making spree! 

The High Court by staying the issue of khata to the revenue properties in Sachindananda Nagar has indeed saved the law of the land. The khatas of 800 plus site owners of this illegal layout can only be issued and regularized under Akrama-Sakrama Scheme which is yet to be implemented.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter DAY LIGHT LOOT BABUS DECIDE TO CHARGE PUBLIC FOR E-STAMPING

FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA 

 THE BANGALORE METRO REPORTER 

 DAY LIGHT LOOT 

 BABUS DECIDE TO CHARGE PUBLIC FOR E-STAMPING 

 The Government had introduced e-stamping to collect Stamp duty and entrusted the task to the Stock Holding Corporation of India. The company is entitled to 0.65 percent commission on the stamp duty collection. As the e-stamping has not received favourable response from the public, the company wanted hike in commission. And now, out of blue the Government has permitted the company to collect service charges from the public for e-stamping up to Rs 5000! It is the Government who has to pay the commission to the company out of stamp duty collections. Now, the public also have to pay the service charge along with the Stamp duty. 

 After the outbreak of the Telgi scam, many modes of payment of Stamp duty were experimented. The Lokayukta recommended the e-stamping and finally the Registration department zeroed on it. Arguably, the till now system of payment of stamp duty and Registration fee through Demand Drafts/Pay Orders was working well for the past eleven years and it still remains people’s favourite system. 

 The E-stamping was implemented in 2008 as another mode of payment of stamp duty. Out of blue, a company by name Stock Holding Corporation of India was chosen as the central Record keeping Agency to collect the Stamp duty on behalf of the Government through its branches and franchisees. 

The then IGR Shashidhar entered into an agreement with this company in February 2008 and as per the agreement, the company was entitled to receive 0.65 percent commission on the stamp duty collected. It should be noted that even when the stamp papers were in circulation, it was the Government which paid one percent commission to the licensed stamp venders. The stamp venders were required to purchase the Stamp papers from the Government treasury. And at the end of the day, the stamp vendor would have got 0.50 percent, as the process of purchasing the stamp papers involved going to the treasury, submitting indent, paying the amount and payment of ‘mamool’ to the staff to get the stamp papers early and expenses towards establishment and salary to the employees. 

In this comparison, the e-stamping commission seems to be high as people have to directly go to the company’s counters or franchisees to pay the stamp duty. 

 UNFAVOURABLE FORMAT 

 On the contrary, the format of e-stamping has not found favour with the people as it is done on a plain paper of poor quality. People are used to prepare their documents on the special documents sheets and pay the stamp duty and registration fee through Demand Drafts. In respect of smaller denominations too, they get the franking or certification of stamp duty on the same document sheets which resemble the earlier stamp papers. This caters to the people’s psychological satisfaction of writing the deed on bond paper. 

 TOO MANY DETAILS & LONG QUEUES 

 From the year 2008, the Government is paying 0.65 percent commission to the e-stamping company. As is natural, people have not favoured this system of payment of stamp duty as they have to fill up the application giving details about the parties involved, nature of transactions etc and stand in long queue to pay the stamp duty and get the e-stamping paper. Besides, the e-stamping details itself occupies three fourth of the paper, and there is nothing left for writing the document. Consequently, people have not accepted it whole heartedly and choose it merely for smaller denominations requirements. 

Eventually, the Stock Holding Corporation of India received small turn over and meager commission and became upset on the outcome. For example the company only received Rs 6.50 for e-stamping 1000 rupees. It is though nobody’s fault that e-stamping is hardly used to pay heavy stamp duty as people still prefer Demand Drafts. 

 Interestingly, the company accepts up to Rs 50000/- in cash for e-stamping from the public and if the amount is more than this, the parties have to make payment through DD. Thus when people can get the registration done by paying stamp duty through DD, why should they purchase the DD to submit it to the company to get e-stamping? 

 PLEASE DO SOMETHING SAAR! 

 Whatever, the company was pressurizing the department for more commission irrespective of the agreement. It had booked the successive IGR’s trying to make e-stamping compulsory. But the act does not permit it. 

The IGR’s had also made all out efforts to force the sub registrars to only accept e-stamping but in vain. 

 OK, DONE! 

 And now, all of a sudden, the company and the department issued advertisements directing the people to pay Rs 10 as service charge for e-stamping up to Rs 100 and Rs 15 for e-stamping up to Rs 5000 to the company. This is simply obnoxious. As the lion’s share of e-stamping is done is smaller value the service charge seems to be Astronomical. For example, for Rs 100, the service charge is 10%, up to Rs 5000 the service charges vary from 15% to 3% and the agreed commission is 0.65%. 

 What more the service charges have to be paid by the public directly to the company. Interestingly, the service charge for franking in offices where franking machines are rented is Rs 5 for any amount up to Rs 999. Why should people pay service charge to the company for payment of stamp duty to the government? This is nothing but penalizing the public who want to pay stamp duty through e-stamping! It is time; the Government should stop this day light loot by the company in collation with few officials of the registration department.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter DOUBLE STANDARD POLITICS ASHOK CHAVAN V/S YEDURAPPA

BY. FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA 

THE BANGALORE METRO REPORTER

DOUBLE STANDARD POLITICS 

ASHOK CHAVAN V/S YEDURAPPA 

 The Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan had to resign following the Adarsh Housing Society scam where flats meant for Kargil widows were cornered by defense personnel and powerful politicians. Much before Ashok Chavan became the CM, his relatives had purchased flats in this housing complex. When the scam broke out, the Congress high command ensured that Ashok Chavan tendered his resignation but waited for disclosure till Obama departed. The BJP stalled the parliament demanding the resignation but Ashok Chavan had already resigned before. The same BJP who stalled the Parliament had to apply same yardstick to their Chief Minister B.S Yeddyurappa who is involved in similar, if not more serious scam. But, the reality is different in South. 

 The opening day of the parliament saw the congress High command ordering capital punishment to two of its senior leaders. It had asked the Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan to resign and stripped CPP general Secretary Suresh Kalmadi from the post. Unaware of these developments the BJP and its allies stalled the house proceedings demanding resignation of Ashok Chavan and ordering CBI enquiry into the Adarsha Housing Society scam. The BJP also demanded the resignation of Suresh Kalmadi the Chairman of Organising Committee of the recently concluded common wealth games. 

 But what they did not bargain for was the swift action by Sonia Gandhi even before the houses met. In the wake of the Adarsh Society scam, Ashok Chavan had tendered his resignation to Sonia Gandhi on 5th November itself. But she kept it pending till the visiting US President Barak Obama left the Country. She directed Ashok Chavan to submit the papers to the Governor. At the same time, she had asked Suresh Kalmadi to resign from the post of Secretary of the Congress parliamentary party. As far as Adarsh Society is concerned, the CBI was told to conduct the probe and the CBI is already probing the CWG scams. In one shot, Sonia Gandhi had taken the winds away from the BJP. Then BJP demanded the sacking of Telecom Minister A Raja for his role in the 2G spectrum scam. But, because Raja belongs to DMK, Sonia Gandhi had to take the consent of Karunanidhi to sack him and it obviously took a couple of days for a decision in this regard. 

 But, now the Congress has turned the tables against BJP daring it to emulate its action in the case of Karnataka Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa, who is neck deep involved in similar if not more serious scams. For reasons best known, the BJP High Command took no action, not even rebuke against Yedurappa. 

 In fact, the BJP in Karnataka has heralded despicable political culture. It came to power by purchasing six independents. It acquired majority by reducing the strength of opposition parties by engineering resignations of their MLAs and making them Ministers and getting them elected in the bye elections. In the recent rebellion of twenty MLAs, the Yedurappa Government saved the day by disqualifying 16 MLAs through the speaker just hours before the vote of confidence. Thus it survived by reducing the strength of the house itself. The political culture sunk to its new low in the history of Indian democracy. 

 More than this despicable political culture, the Yedurappa Government is neck deep in hi-fi corruption. And leading the way is none other than the Chief Minister himself. He is involved in a scam which is worse than Ashok Chavan’s. Yedurappa’s MP Son B.Y Raghvendra, his son-in-law have purchased BDA acquired lands in Arkavathi Layout. S.N Krishnaiah Setty has sold (?) the lands. The Supreme Court has upheld the acquisition of lands for Arkavathi layout. After the lands were registered in the names of Raghavendra and other family members, Yedurappa got the lands denotified despite opposition from the BDA. What more, as a safe bet, the original owner was made to apply for denotification instead of Raghavendra and others. This was a clear plan to keep the entire scam under wraps. The lands are of course worth crores! 

 There are other denotifications by Yedurappa which were all for monetary gains. In one particular case, Yedurappa denotified BDA lands in Nagarabhavi where the BDA had allotted sites and houses were build years ago including that of Law and Urban Development Minister Suresh Kumar. How can one imagine the denotification of fully build up lands by Yedurappa? It is simply inhuman and cruel. And when the matter was taken up in the High Court, Yedurappa simply cancelled the denotification. 

 As far as Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan is concerned, his relatives had procured the flat much before he became the CM. Here too, the land on which the Apartments were built was meant for widows of Kargil heroes. But the flats were grabbed by many top defense personnel and powerful politicians. Successive CMs from Sushil Kumar Shindhe, Vilas Rao Deshmukh etc. have contributed their mite in getting clearance to the Housing project. After the scam broke out, the Government has withdrawn occupancy certificates and declared the Housing Complex as illegal as it violated Zonal Regulations and sanctioned plan. Finally, with his relatives’ names in the beneficiaries list, Ashok Chavan met Sonia Gandhi and submitted his resignation as CM. It was accepted but declared officially only after Obama left India. 

 In case of BSY, one can find similarities with Ashok Chavan’s case. Raghavendra purchased some lands in Arkavathi Layout which was acquired by BDA years back. The Supreme Court had held the land acquisition valid. There is also a SC judgement to the effect that once the lands are acquired, they can not be denotified. But Yedurappa overruled all the objections by BDA and Urban Development and ordered the denotification of the land. The reason being simple, the lands were purchased by his Son and son-in-law! 

 The Congress is right when it dared the BJP to emulate the Ashok Chavan incident in case of BSY also. But the BJP is in no mood, even to contemplate issuing a warning to Yedurappa. And the BJP always take up high moral ground over probity in public life. They are adopting double standard now. One cannot expect any meaningful and positive action from the BJP High Command in the case of Yedurappa. And what about Yedurappa? He does not even dream of quitting the CM post and recently made a claim of being in the CM chair for another 20 years? God save Karnataka!

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE POLITICS OF SAFEGUARDING CM COMMITS SCAMS AND AVOIDS LOKAYUKATA NET

BY. FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA

THE BANGALORE METRO REPORTER 

 THE POLITICS OF SAFEGUARDING 

 CM COMMITS SCAMS AND AVOIDS LOKAYUKATA NET 

 The CM Yedurappa’s multifaceted; multi dimensional and well documented scams have become highly embarrassing for him has tried to buy time to bury the same. He has formed a judicial commission headed by Justice Padmaraj, a retired HC judge to probe the denotifications, allotments of lands for the last 16 years that is from 1995. It is another matter that Justice Padmaraj has his own reputation for fairness and balanced judgements. Most of the judgements of Justice Padmaraja that were challenged were upheld by the Supreme Court. Nobody can have any doubt about the fairness of the commission headed by Justice Padmaraja. 

 But that is no issue here. There was no necessity for having a judicial commission to probe the land denotifications since 1995 in first place. Any common man with ordinary level of sense will say that the probe will go on for years. But, Yedurappa has given only one year time to the commission to finish the probe and submit the report. This is humanly impossible as there are thousands of cases of denotifications of lands since 1995. 

 THE HISTORY 

 It is an open secret that till the year 2000, the denotifications were done on merits of the case and not monetary case. It was only after the year 2000 that the real estate in Bangalore flourished. The denotifications assumed importance particularly after the BDA started denotifying thousands of acres of lands for its layout and KIADB and KHB followed suit. 

 From the year 2006, when Yedurappa became Deputy with Kumaraswamy as the CM, the land prices soar to new heights. The real estate agents turned into developers and even the underworld entered the real estate in a big way. Politicians in power became their God fathers. It may be recalled that denotifications became a very lucrative business during Visweswaraya, Anjanapura, BSK 5th, 6th stage, Arkavathi layout formations. Many officials made hundreds of crores through denotifications. It continued during Dharam Singh regime and Kumaraswamy also provided ample opportunity. 

 From the moment, Yedurappa become Deputy CM, he became possessed with making a fortune. More than the CM, the Deputy Yedurappa made hundreds of deals with developers through his sons Raghavendra and Vijyendra. 

 THE RETURN OF JEWEL THIEF

 It is at this time that Yedurappa started his family enterprise. But before he could firmly establish his companies he lost power in 2007. However, he returned as a CM in 2008. And since then there is no stopping for his family enterprise in making crores and crores through denotifications/ allotments etc. Without investing anything these companies made crores of profit and there only investment is Yedurappa’s CM powers. 

 SAVING SKIN 

 But what prompted Yedurappa to order a judicial probe? The answer is very simple. When the unimaginable scams of Yedurappa in allotting highly valuable lands to his family members, denotifying the lands purchased by his family members etc started to get exposed one after the other, Yedurappa panicked. Even the leaders of his own party were shocked at his scams. To wriggle out of the situation, he got his family members to return the sites to BDA. Further, to stop the opposition from exposing his scams, he talked of a judicial probe on the denotifications of lands affected during the last 15 years. He made tall claims of holding a probe by a retired HC judge to silence the opposition. 

 While his scams issue raked up in Parliament, he had to take some action to insulate himself and also prevent the BJP High Command initiating any actions against him. In fact, the BJP had already decided to take action against him and summoned him to Delhi. But before leaving, he decided to constitute a Judicial commission to probe the land denotifications, allotments etc. And to take the revenge with Deve Gowda, he extended the probe to be conducted from 1995. The rest is history. Yedurappa arm twisted and even threatened the BJP High Command and avoided his sacking. He succeeded and Justice Padmaraj was nominated to the judicial enquiry and is given one year to complete the task. This is simply an impossible task as one cannot expect the commission to probe innumerable cases in just one year. 

 MAMMOTH TASK

 It is a fact that one can expect more than 2000 BDA denotifications from 1995 and about 1000 cases in KIADB. The commission has to probe each case on merits. It cannot club all the cases as each case has a different history. Firstly, the commission has to identify the cases, the beneficiaries and the officials responsible for the denotifications. It also has to identify the political force behind and issue notices to all the identified people and officials. They are also required to be given ample opportunity to defend them and their actions. There is the usual examination and cross examinations of the witnesses etc. There is also the question of availability of records. There may be cases where people concerned may be dead, and the officials have either died, retired or even untraceable. The commission cannot work round the clock. In a matter of one year, even if the commission has a little over 100 sittings, it will be a record. 

 Moreover, the commission needs a separate establishments, offices, courtrooms, staff etc and it would take at least two to three months for the commission to start the preliminary works provided the Government shows promptness and good intentions. As there are few Ministers including Yedurappa himself in such scams, the Government may not show much interest in the follow up actions to provide necessary infrastructure to the commission. 

This being the case, the commission needs at least 10 years to probe thousands of denotification cases. In some cases, the commission also has to conduct spot inspection. It is not that all the denotifications done so far are scandalous. Except few notorious cases, most of the denotification cases till 2006 have justifications. A fully developed revenue pocket cannot be acquired as the same cannot be used for forming a layout or sites. The land is not only unfit but even the acquisitions cost will be too high. Then there are practical difficulties in demolishing the buildings etc. In 2003, the BDA made a policy decision not to demolish residential buildings built on acquiring/acquired lands. In such cases, denotifications are the only way. The commission cannot overlook these practical problems and ground realities. 

In 1995, the Government implemented the regularization of the Government properties in a big way. In 2007, the Government passed a 1 time Akrama-Sakrama regularization scheme for revenue and unauthorized properties in the entire state. But is yet to be implemented. 

 To be frank, the denotifications assumed gigantic proportions only after 2002. It reached zenith in 2005 and for the last two and a half years assumed gigantic proportions and has even threatened the Government of Yedurappa. There is no denying the fact that from the last 5 to 6 years denotification has become a big business and also one of the means for the politicians to dole out largesse to their loyalists. 

 In all fairness, the commission should restrict it probe to the denotifications from 2005 and not from 1995. If it does start the probe from 2005, it can expose the demon in all its dimensions. Since the basis of set up of commission is to probe the denotifications by Yedurappa, it should at least start the probe from the period of Yedurappa. Probing from the year 2008 first is best suitable simply because all the politicians and officials are available in the same positions and even the records are easily accessible. In addition, most of the denotifications follow similar patterns and all can be clubbed together and probed. Once this is complete, the commission can go back to the past. 

 SIDELINING THE LOKAYUKTA

 Let us come to the practical aspect of the probe by the commission. It is true that Justice Santosh Hegde is already probing the KIADB land scams from the past few months. During the probe, the Lokayukta has already trapped Katta Jagadish, the corporator son of Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu. Further, even the involvement of the Minister and his wife is also established and the Lokayukta may file charge sheet anytime. 

 The Lokayukta has also arrested many officials in KIADB for their involvement in many scams. This sum up that Lokayukta is conducting a full fledged probe in these scams already. Now if the Commission takes up the probe it will be duplicating the futile exercise. 

 Besides, the Lokayukta is also taking up complaint against BSY in respect of denotifications, misuse, abuse of power and nepotism. There are 8 compalints before the Lokayukta against the CM in this regard. If the Judicial Commission takes up these cases, Lokayukta, though unlikely will have to close down the complaints against Yedurappa. 

 The Lokayukta Santosh Hegde is a retired Supreme Court judge and has almost finished the KIADB scam probe. If he continues he will finish up the story in a couple of months compared to the commission which will take years. 

 If Yedurappa was honest, he could have entrusted the probe of denotification to the Lokayukta himself. While Lokayukta is scheduled to retire in few months, it would not have prevented him to take up the probe. The Government also could have given him an extension for the cause of the probe. 

 But who cares? BSY is afraid of Santosh Hegde and wants to save his skin by delay tactics. The best option therefore for him is to opt for a judicial probe and that too order it to be conducted from 1995, which will take years together to finish. God save Karnataka!

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE DEFEAT OF THE LAW BBMP REGULARISES REVENUE PROPERTIES IN SACHINDANANDANAGAR LAYOUT

BY. FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA 

THE BANGALORE METRO REPORTER

 THE DEFEAT OF THE LAW 

 BBMP REGULARISES REVENUE PROPERTIES IN SACHINDANANDANAGAR LAYOUT 

 The Commissioner of BBMP Mr. Siddaiah has done an unimaginable act by getting the khatas registered to the hundreds of sites in the illegal Sachindanandanagar Layout formed by the notorious Viswa Bharthi Housing Co-op Society. Proving that he can be subdued with media and other pressure, Siddaiah has registered the khatas to the sites in this illegal layout and legalized the highly illegal act. If the same yardstick is applied, Siddaiah will have to register the khatas to lakhs of revenue properties in BBMP areas. To hell with law of the land! 

 In our earlier edition, we had discussed about how B. Krishna Bhat of the Viswa Bharti Housing Society undertook illegalities to form of the Sachindanandanagar layout which thus became illegal in itself. It was clearly explained that the land does not belong to the society and the society has also not obtained layout plan sanctioned from the BDA. It has not even got the lands converted and there are other violations with regard to Co-op. Society’s Act, Land reforms Act, Town planning Acts, etc. 

 In fact, the land has been forfeited by the government in 2001 itself. The final word on this is yet to be said by the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal where the dispute is pending. The BDA had notified the layout as illegal and ordered demolition of the unauthorized constructions in the years 2005 and 2007. The plain fact is that B.Krishna Bhat, had purchased agricultural lands the dispute of which becomes ineligible under Land Revenue Act and Land Reforms Act. He has also used the society’s funds to purchase the lands and again used the society’s name to register sites formed in the illegal layout to the purchasers by treating them as members! 

 On the whole the entire layout is a revenue layout. In the year 1996, the CMCs in the city collected betterment charges from the revenue property owners for having utilized the civic amenities provided by CMCs and issued ‘Holder’ Khatas to them. It should be noted that the khatas effected were only symbolic and not the regular khatas. The holder khatas do not guarantee right, title and ownership, it was only meant for collecting betterment charges and tax towards using the amenities provided by the CMCs. 

 Naturally, few owners of sites in Sachindanandagar layout got the khatas by payment of betterment charges. So taking advantage of the betterment charges scheme, about 100 site owners obtained khatas for their properties in 1996. Later, the Divisional Commissioner directed the CMC, Pattanagere (now RR Nagar) to stop collecting betterment charges. 

 B.Krishna Bhat went to the court and in the year 2005 the civil court directed the CMC to register the khatas after quashing the directions of the Divisional Commissioner. Needless to say that Krishna Bhat managed to get the orders by misleading the court and also ensured that the CMC does not go in appeal. By this time, the Government had confiscated the lands purchased by the B Krishna Bhat violating Lands Reforms Act. He then filed an appeal in KAT but till now, no final word is said about the same. As on now, the land records stands in the name of the Government. In 2007, the Government banned the collection of betterment charges by the CMCs as it became clear that the CMCs had no such powers. 

 At the same time, the Government passed a bill for ‘One Time’ Akrama-Sakrama scheme to regularize unauthorised constructions and Revenue Properties. But the enforcement of the Act from 1-1-2008 was deferred under High Court orders. Later, the Government tried to bring some reforms and two months back, passed the modified Akrama-Sakrama Bill. But the Governor had refused to sign the bill and as on now, the Akrama-Sakrama scheme is in cold storage. As such, the regularization of sites in Sachindanandanagar layout must wait till the Akrama-Sakrama scheme is brought into force. 

 But some of the site owners were not prepared to wait. Manjunath alias Quality Manju formed a Resident’s Association and moved the BBMP’s RR Nagar Zonal Joint Commissioner Veda Murthy to get the khatas to about 800 properties. He started collecting amount between 3 to 5 lakhs from the owners depending on the size of the property. Manju also enlisted the support of local MLA M.Srinivas whose word is Law for the BBMP officials. In fact, the entire multi crores deal was to be based on the city court’s order directing the CMC to register the khatas. As the government has banned the collection of betterment charges itself and brought in a special Akrama-Sakrama Scheme to regularize the revenue properties, there was no way the sites could be regularized at this juncture. But that did not deter Manju to clinch a ‘deal’ with BBMP officials to get the Khatas, illegally, albeit for a price. 

 In the meanwhile, another association was formed among the site owners and they had approached the Lokayukta against the BBMP officials and carried a media blitz bringing their woes to the public notice. They also based their case on the city court order concern only with ‘Holder’ or ‘Anubhuvdar’ khatas and not the regular khatas. They made the Lokayukta to come to their rescue. As luck would have it, the BBMP’s Additional Commissioner Veda Murthy in his reply to the Lokayukta complaint gave a wrong reply about the status of the case relating to an appeal to the city civil court order. This was sufficient for the Lokayukta to bang the BBMP officials and within the next of couple of days, Veda Murthy went out of BBMP and K.M Ramachandran took over as the Additional Commissioner of RR Nagar Zone. 

 After assuming the chair, K.M Ramachandran from day one was determined to clinch the deal under the direction of MLA Srinivas and Manju. He was waiting for an excuse to start issuing the khatas. 

 The Lokayukta’s slap was a God sent opportunity to complete the deal. The other group also mounted pressure on the BBMP Commissioner Siddaiah and finally Siddaiah relented and ordered the issue of khatas. 

 The other day, a group of the site owners laid seizes to RR Nagar Zonal office and forced the officials to issue the khatas to 120 of their members. They continued it till midnight and got khatas. Similarly, the Manju group too got the khatas. The BBMP officials particularly K M Ramachandran, the RO, ARO etc. are smiling from ear to ear for having made few millions. The owners are happy for having got the khatas to their properties in the illegal Sachindanandanagar layout. Every body is happy except the law of the land. 

 In fact, Law of the land has become the first casualty. The entire episode throw much light on the machinations, manipulations etc. of the bureaucrats and the astronomical level of corruption. In one go, about 800 revenue properties have been regularized by the BBMP without caring for the law of the land. If the same properties were to be regularized under Akrama-Sakrama Scheme, the BBMP would have netted revenue of not less than 20 crores. 

 The combined force of money, muscle power, media etc. has resulted in BBMP regularizing more than 800 revenue properties in an illegal layout. The question is will the BBMP regularize lakhs of other revenue properties in city and give khatas to them? 

The entire episode needs a serious introspection among all particularly those who respect the law of the land!