Land scam case politically motivated, says Ashoka

Karnataka Home Minister R Ashoka, accused of being involved in illegal denotification of government land, on Friday termed the case filed against him as “politically motivated” and said he would fight it legally.

“This is for the third time, the same case has been filed against me. There is a political conspiracy behind it. I will fight it legally,” Ashoka told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

However, Chief Minister D V Sadananda has refused to comment on the development saying, “I don’t want to react, since the matter is before the court.” A Lokayukta court yesterday directed the Lokayukta SP to investigate into the private complaint filed against Ashoka, accusing him of getting denotification of land in violation of rules.

Special Lokayukta judge N K Sudhindra Rao also directed the SP to submit a report on the alleged illegal denotification of government land on November 5.

The court has asked for the case to be registered under Section 156 (3) of CrPC, according to which any magistrate empowered under Section 190 (cognisance of offences by magistrates) may order an investigation.

RTI activist Jayakumar Hiremath had filed a complaint accusing Ashoka of being involved in illegal denotification of government land causing an estimated loss of Rs 50 crore to the state exchequer.

In his complaint, he said the minister had allegedly denotified 9.12 guntas and 14 guntas of land belonging to Bangalore Development Authority in Lottegollahalli when B S Yeddyurappa was the chief minister. Yeddyurappa is the second accused in the complaint.