A review committee formed to look into the alleged A-khata fraud has identified 9,736 properties illegally getting into the A-khata registry in the city. Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has now decided to restore them to the B-khata registry.
On January 4, the civic body received a complaint from former councillor NR Ramesh who alleged irregularities in converting B-khata properties to A khata and demanded action. On February 21, the Palike formed a review committee to verify all illegal A-khata properties.
The civic body had initially instructed revenue officials to prepare detailed reports on allegations that B-khata properties were illegally changed to A-khata ones and submit them to the review committee by March 24. Later, the date was extended to April 10. The reports, however, weren’t submitted due to the assembly polls.
The revenue officials submitted the reports in June and the review committee learnt that illegal A khatas had been issued to 9,736 properties. Special commissioner (finance), BBMP, Jayaram Raipura, told that as of now, they have found 9,736 illegal A-khata properties and the number may go up following further verification by the committee.
As per BBMP data, illegal A khatas were issued in all eight zones. Bommanahalli zone topped with 4,008 illegal A khatas and Rajarajeshwarinagar was second (3,666). South zone had just once such instance. Raipura said all illegal A khatas will be reversed to B khatas.
According to BBMP sources, assistant revenue officials are the persons authorised to issue A khatas. Palike officials said that several revenue officials were involved in the scam and action will be initiated against them once their role is confirmed.
BBMP sources said the committee verified A-khata properties in Anjanapura subdivision in Bommanahalli zone on March 8. Initially, assistant revenue officials and other staffers argued that there were no illegal A-khata properties in their subdivision. But the verification exercise revealed there were 698 illegal A-khata properties in two wards. The committee found illegal entry of 357 properties into the A-khata registry from the B-khata registry in Gottigere and 341 such properties in Anjanapura. The same was certified by assistant revenue officials.
Palike officials said the review committee will verify the illegal A khatas listed in the subdivision-wise reports. Assistant revenue officials concerned will face departmental disciplinary action and criminal cases if they skip entering details of any illegal A-khata properties in their report.
A-khata properties are those with genuine documents and verified by state agencies. B-khata properties have anomalies in documentation and include those constructed without nod from relevant authorities and on plots lacking permission for land-use conversion.
