The Lokayukta special court has posted for orders the private complaint filed against Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise Ltd (NICE) and its project, Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC). The complainant, social activist T.J. Abraham, had filed the private complaint against 102 accused, including former chief ministers Deve Gowda, S.M. Krishna, Dharam Singh and B.S. Yeddyurappa, former deputy CM S. Siddaramaiah and NICE MD Ashok Kheny. Terming NICE the biggest fraud, he had alleged that several irregularities have occurred throughout the project since 1995.
The complainant on Monday said that over the last 17 years, all that NICE has completed is the Peripheral Ring Road, while the BMIC has still not been completed. Special court judge N.K. Sudhindra Rao reserved orders on the compliant to October 3.
Land case: Sharma threatened complainant
A private complaint against Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force chief R.P. Sharma, alleging that he bought lands below the guidance value, took a sensational turn on Monday when the complainant charged the officer with threatening him to withdraw the case. The Lokayukta special court adjourned hearing in the case to September 20.
The complainant, S.M. Alex, appearing before the court through an advocate, said that Mr Sharma made several calls to him from the official mobile phone. The calls started coming after he filed the case before the Lokayukta court, he said. Special court judge N.K. Sudhindra Rao asked the complainant whether he had recorded the conversations. Mr Alex said he had not, but would submit details of the conversations.
Later in the afternoon, Mr Alex’s advocate produced the document detailing the conversations. Justice Rao asked Mr Alex if he knew Mr Sharma before, but he said no. He stated that Mr Sharma called him 10 times on different days after the complaint was filed. The court then adjourned the hearing.
Mr Alex has alleged in his complaint that Mr Sharma has purchased a site each in Bengaluru and in Mysore for a price below the guidance value. He alleged that Mr Sharma also completed a law course in a college in Kolar, while he was working as IGP Railways, in violation of service rules.