Shettar faces land denotification trouble

The complaint filed before Lokayukta Judge N K Sundhindra Rao alleged that Shettar denotified 178 acres in 2006 as Revenue Minister violating rules that caused a revenue loss of Rs 250 crore to the state exchequer.

The complainant, city based social activist S M Chethan, pleaded for action under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act against Shettar, who is to be sworn in as Chief Minister tomorrow.

Shettar was today appointed as Chief Minister and invited to form the government by Governor H R Bhardwaj after incumbent D V Sadananda Gowda resigned in a change of leadership following intra-party power struggle in the BJP.

The Judge posted the complaint to July 21 for orders on probe.

The complainant alleged Shettar without cabinet approval had in 2006 denotified 178 acres out of 376 acres acquired for establishing a single roof mega farmers market at Dasanapura near here on applications by some land sharks along with farmers who owned the land.

This caused a loss of Rs 250 crore to the state exchequer at the present market value of the land, he alleged but added the project was never implemented.

Shettar along with the then Special Land Acquisition Officer and the then Director, Agriculture Marketing Board are the accused in the case.

Shettar is the latest BJP leader to court controversy over the land denotification, which has come to haunt the BJP regime in the state with former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and several ministers and MLAs battling legal proceedings.