The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has instructed revenue officials to prepare detailed reports on allegations that B khata properties were illegally changed to A khata and submit them to a review committee, set up to look into the matter, by 3pm on March 24.
BBMP has warned of departmental disciplinary action and criminal cases if officials are found guilty of not including illegal A khata properties in their reports intentionally.
On January 4, the civic body had received a complaint from former councillor NR Ramesh, alleging irregularities in converting B khata properties into A khata and demanding action. The Palike formed a review committee on February 21 to verify all illegal A khata properties.
According to BBMP sources, 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 A khata registry from B khata registry in Gottigere and 341 such properties in Anjanapura. The same was certified by assistant revenue officials.
Special commissioner (finance), BBMP, Jayaram Raipura, stated in an order issued on Tuesday that the committee had found illegal A khatas during its verification in only one subdivision. “There are chances of similar irregularities in all subdivisions. So, all assistant revenue officials should identify illegal A khata properties in their respective subdivisions and prepare a table, which provides details of the khata ledger, page number, khata number and its serial number, measurement of the property, khata holder’s name and other details,” his order read.
“The review committee will verify the illegal A khatas listed in the subdivision-wise reports. The assistant revenue officials concerned would face departmental disciplinary action and criminal cases if they skip entering any illegal A khata in their report. The officials should prepare the list without yielding to any pressure,” Raipura instructed.