Bengaluru: The State BJP on Saturday mounted an attack on Chief Minister Siddharamaiah, accusing him of nepotism in illegally granting land to a company owned by his son Dr. Yathindra’s former business partner. Addressing a press meet, BJP leader B.J. Puttaswamy demanded that 2.19 acres of land in Hebbal illegally allotted to a company linked to CM’s son Dr. Yathindra, he cancelled and handed over to Arkavathy layout allottees. Puttaswamy said this was the first in a series of scams related to Siddharamaiah that the party will expose once every 2-3 days. In January last year, 2.19 acres of land coming under survey Nos. 109-114 in Hebbal, which is currently worth Rs. 200 crore, was allotted to Shantha Industrial enterprises in exchange for land acquired from the company in Kethamaranahalli, Mahalakshmi layout in 1977. The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), had paid Rs. 29 lakh as compensation to the company then. “Dr. Yathindra’s friend Rajesh Gowda became a partner in Shantha Industrial Enterprises in 2010. In 2014, Dr. Yathindra became a Director at Matrix Imaging Solutions India (P) Ltd., a company established by Gowda in 2009,” Puttaswamy said. He alleged that it is clear that the Chief Minister intervened to get the land allotted to Shantha Industrial Enterprises, although there is no provision for re-allotment of alternative land, that too after 40 years. Maintaining that the 2.19 acres was meant for Arkavathy Layout, Puttaswamy demanded that the Chief Minister drop the allotment of 2.19 acres and hand it over to Arkavathy layout allottees.
CM refutes allegations
