Union Law Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda.
In a legal victory for Union Law Minister D.V.
Sadananda Gowda, the Supreme Court on Friday gave him a clean chit in a
building law violation case and declared that the Karnataka politician
had never abused his power to “arm-twist” local authorities to turning a
blind eye.
The Law Minister turned a litigant when
he approached the Supreme Court against a Karnataka High Court order
directing the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to take back
adjacent plots allotted to him and BJP MLA D.N. Jeevaraj for illegally
constructing a “multi-storey” building on them.
In a
judgment, a Bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur and S.A. Bobde criticised
the High Court for assuming the role of a statutory authority.
The
judgment dismissed contentions raised against Mr. Gowda that he had
exercised his influence as the Chief Minister of Karnataka to bully the
Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and construct the building
contrary to the sanctioned plan.
“Insofar as the
present case is concerned, in spite of the clout that Mr. Sadananda
Gowda may have wielded in Karnataka, his actions relating to the
construction of the building on his plot of land do not suggest any
abuse,” the judgment said and cleared Mr. Gowda’s name.
The
judgment further noted that the PIL petition was filed in the Karnataka
High Court against Mr. Gowda on the very day he was appointed Chief
Minister on August 4, 2011.
Mr. Gowda and Mr.
Jeevaraj had moved the Supreme Court after the High Court in 2012 ruled
against them on the writ petition filed by Nagalaxmi Bai for a
declaration that the building being constructed on the allotted plots at
HSR Layout in Bangalore were in violation of the lease-cum-sale
agreement Mr. Gowda entered into with the BDA.
The agreement had barred the allottees from either sub-dividing the plots or constructing commercial buildings on them.
Sources: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/law-minister-wins-case-as-a-litigant/article7924597.ece?css=print
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