Karnataka minister, son named in Rs 87-cr land scam
In further embarrassment to Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, state Minister for Information Technology Katta Subramanya Naidu has been named as a key accused by the state’s anti-corruption agency, the Lokayukta, in a Rs 87-crore land scam.
The minister and his family allegedly used inside information on the creation of an IT SEZ to buy land from farmers at cheap rates and then sell it to the government at inflated rates.
Naidu, his son Katta Jagadish, and eight others, including the director of the State Industries Department and two land acquisition officers from the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB), have been accused of cheating, forgery, criminal intimidation and corruption.
This is the second corruption case in three months, involving land acquisition around the new Bangalore airport, linking the IT minister.
In September, Naidu’s son and an associate were named in a case, now known as the KIADB scam. Naidu’s son had allegedly claimed a compensation of Rs 2.24 crore after claiming false rights over government land that was a part of 3,266 acres acquired for a new IT region near the new airport.
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“The new case has been registered on the basis of leads and evidence that came up in the course of investigation of the KIADB scam,” additional director general of police R K Dutta said.
The latest case involves the acquisition of 323 acres of land for an IT SEZ around the Bengaluru International Airport by a firm called Itasca Software — now identified as a front company of the IT minister.
According to sources, Naidu and his associates allegedly bought land from farmers of Bandikodigehalli village for Rs 4 to 5 lakh through force and criminal intimidation even before the government fixed acquisition rates in 2006.
Naidu was industries minister in the JDS-BJP coalition government at that time.
A company called Itasca Software then obtained clearance for setting up an SEZ through the minister’s son.
According to the Lokayukta, the KIADB obtained land held by the minister’s family by paying them compensation in the range of Rs 40 lakh to Rs 60 lakh and transferring it to Itasca.
Investigations revealed Itasca Software received a large amount of money as share capital from a firm called United Telecom Company that was to invest in the SEZ.
Nearly Rs 87 crore was then transferred from Itasca to a second front company of the Naidu family, Indu Builders and Developers.
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