Bangalore, Dec 2: Rocked by land scam charges, the ruling BJP in Karnataka faced fresh embarrassment today when the Lokayukta filed an FIR against IT-BT Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu and nine others on alleged irregularities in land allotment.
The step by the corruption watchdog also spelt more trouble to Naidu as one of the firms ITASKA software, one of the first which got the land allotment, is believed to be owned by his confidant.
Lokayukta ADGP Alok Kumar Datta told reporters that FIR has been lodged against 10 people among whom are some officials of the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board, which allotted the land, and representatives of three firms.
ITASKA firm managed to get allotment of 325 acres for setting up a SEZ in 2006 when Naidu was Industries Minister.
Lokayukta Santosh Hegde said charges such as forgery, cheating, benami transactions, creating false documents, creating fictitious firms, among others, have been made out against the accused in the FIR.
Hegde said one of the firms paid Rs 87 crore to Indu Developers, the identify of which was being probed, and the role of Naidu family members in these transaction was under investigation.
In another development, Lokayukta officials filed the second FIR against Katta Jagadish Naidu, son of Naidu, who has been facing allegations of bribing a witness in a case involving securing of compensation for the land KIADB acquired from him.
Jagadish, who was arrested by Lokayukta police in September, is now on bail and the high court had stayed the first FIR filed against him.
Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa refused to react to the FIR filed against his ministerial colleague. PTI
