The BJP leader accused Indian Overseas Congress President Sam Pitroda of illegally usurping 12.35 acres of government land in Bengaluru. Now Sam Pitroda responded to these allegations on Wednesday. He said that he does not have land, a house, or any stock in India.
Sam Pitroda wrote on Instagram that given the recent reports in television and print media in India, I want to clearly state that I do not have any land, house, or shares in India.
Worked in the government... but did not take a salary
Pitroda further said that I never took any salary while working with Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in the mid-1980s and Dr. Manmohan Singh from 2004 to 2014. Pitroda further said that I have never given or accepted bribes in India or any other country in my 83 years of life. This is the complete and irrefutable truth.
Complaint to ED and Lokayukta
BJP leader NR Ramesh had alleged that Sam Pitroda illegally acquired 12.35 acres of government land in Yelahanka, Bengaluru with the help of 5 senior government officials including forest department officials. The value of this land is Rs 150 crore. Ramesh is a former councilor of the Greater Bangalore Municipal Corporation (BBMP). He has filed a complaint against Pitroda with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Karnataka Lokayukta.
Allegation - Land obtained in the name of conservation of medicinal plants
In the complaint to the ED, BJP leader Ramesh said that Pitroda had registered an organization called Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Tradition (FRLHT) on 23 October 1993 in the office of the Registrar of Cooperative Societies in Mumbai, Maharashtra. According to Ramesh, Pitroda requested the Karnataka State Forest Department to allot a reserved forest area on lease for the conservation and research of medicinal plants.
The lease extended for 10 years.
Ramesh claims that on Pitroda's request, the department allotted five hectares (12.35 acres) of reserved forest land in 'B' block of Jarakabande Kaval in Bengaluru in 1996 on a five-year lease. Ramesh has claimed that the initial 5-year lease given to FRLHT expired in 2001. After this, the Karnataka Forest Department extended it for another 10 years.
The lease ended in 2011
The BJP leader said that the lease given to Pitroda's FRLHT expired on 2 December 2011. After this, the forest department should have taken possession of this valuable government land. However, the forest department officials did not make any effort to take back the land in the last 14 years. The BJP leader appealed to the ED to register a criminal case against those involved in the alleged land grab.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has claimed that it has made huge profits from hosting the Champions T
Indian women's cricket team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana will be aiming to set a major record bef
Actor Vijay's film 'Jana Nayagan' is embroiled in controversy regarding its release. The matter r
Harmanpreet Kaur shook the record books and set a record by scoring a century in England
Indian women's cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur created history by scoring a century against
The NIA has intensified its investigation into the recent blast near the Red Fort in Delhi. As pa
Major terrorist attack in Pakistan: Explosive-laden vehicle rams into checkpost; 11 policemen killed
The Pakistani army said on Tuesday that eleven security personnel were killed in a terrorist atta
Maharashtra: 'Those who are glorifying Aurangzeb are traitors', statement of Deputy CM Eknath Shinde
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said that those who are still praising Aurang
Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali, a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, said t
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed children at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Friday, on the
South cinema's animated film Mahavatar Narsimha surprised everyone with its out of the box succes
