BS Yeddyurappa received monetary benefits from property developers: JD(S)

The JD(S) today alleged that Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa received monetary benefits from two private property developers to the tune of Rs13 crore and bestowed favours in the form of land allotment.

JD(S) state unit President H D Kumaraswamy also hit out at Yeddyurappa for making baseless charges against his family that it had "looted" the state while in power.

Kumaraswamy challenged Yeddyurappa to prove his charge with documentary evidence, as was done by him, and remarked "it is like the devil quoting the scriptures".

Rejecting Yeddyurappa charge that his father, former Prime Minister HD Devegowda destabilised the governments led by late Ramakrishna Hegde, late SR Bommai and late JH Patel, he told reporters, "My father fought only on issues and not against individuals".

Hurling a fresh charge, Kumaraswamy alleged that a property developer had paid Rs eight crore to the firms owned by Yeddurappa's kin, and to the minister for energy Shobha Karandlaje, who got Rs3.5 crore as loan against her residential site.

For the favours shown, the developer had floated a new firm on June 2, 2006, soon after Yeddyurappa became the deputy chief minister in the Kumaraswamy led JDS-BJP coalition government and inducted a firm, owned by his sons, BY Raghavendra and Vijendra and son-in-law, as partners with 50% stake, he alleged.

He further alleged that Yeddyurappa entered into a fictitious agreement with the developer under which he leased his own house on rent to that company by securing Rs50 lakh as advance rent, "but in effect continues to live there."

Yeddyurappa had shown this lease agreement details in his assets and liabilities filed before Lokayukta, he alleged.

The property Group had purchased three properties in Shimoga for Yeddyurappa's family at a cost of Rs3 crore, he claimed.

For what he called "illegal gratification" received, Yeddyurappa allotted 17.5 acres to the developer near Whitefield, 25 acres in Shimoga, 28 acres near Bangalore International Airport and 6.16 acres in Bangalore East Taluk. All these lands were taken for setting up of IT parks, but the firm never established any, but built high-end villas for sale, Kumaraswamy alleged.

"Yeddyurappa has favoured this developer which now owns about 1,000 acres valued at Rs2,000 crore," he claimed.

Karandlaje, a close associate of Yeddyurappa, was also given Rs3.5 crore loan when she was an MLC against a residential site, Kumaraswamy alleged.

Yeddyurappa had purchased about 14.14 acres of agricultural land in Shimoga district "violating" some Karnataka Land Reforms Act provisions, barring any person having non-agricultural income exceeding Rs2 lakh annually from purchasing agricultural lands, Kumaraswamy alleged.

He charged that another firm, floated by former housing minister SN Krishnaiah Setty, paid Rs five crore by cheque to firms owned by Yeddyurappa's kin to get allotment of lands and issue orders for change of land use from agriculture to non-agriculture purposes.

Setty is a realtor and had to quit the Yeddyurappa ministry following allegations of irregularities in sale of lands to the Karnataka Housing Board.

"The BJP high command which forced Uma Bharti to quit chief ministership after her involvement in a case pertaining to hoisting of national flag is now vacillating to act on Yeddyurappa, despite JD(S) bringing up documentary proof on various scams," Kumaraswamy said.

"Is there any tacit understanding between some BJP leaders and Yeddyurappa to forge cooperation? he asked.

Yeddyurappa has denied the allegations levelled against him.