Greater Bengaluru Authority
Bengaluru: Two FIRs were registered at Ulsoor Gate police station Monday against suspended Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) assistant commissioners and in-charge revenue officers Basawaraju Magi and Lokamatha DS for allegedly misusing the e-Aasthi system’s SARFAESI module to fraudulently issue new e-khatas for ineligible flats. Thirty-six others, including a few builders, have also been booked.
Private builders and applicants allegedly colluded with the two officers to misuse a module specifically designed to facilitate e-khata issuance to banks for properties taken possession of under Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act and subsequently put up for auction, according to Moudgil. Instead of uploading mandatory SARFAESI orders, the applicants allegedly submitted unrelated registered documents, including joint development agreements and other deeds, to obtain fresh e-khatas for newly constructed flats. The officers allegedly approved the applications despite the documents not meeting the module’s requirements.
The two officers, who were suspended earlier after the fraud came to light, have been booked based on a complaint filed by IAS officer and GBA special commissioner (revenue) Munish Moudgil.
He said the matter involved alleged fraud, forgery, abuse of official position and serious misconduct, warranting a detailed criminal investigation.