Palike officials were aware of encroachment, says BMTF

The Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) submitted before the High Court on Tuesday that the BBMP officials were fully aware of the fact that certain builders had encroached upon stormwater drains and constructed buildings. But the engineers failed to take action.

The BMTF, in its statement of objections on the petitions filed by the engineers, seeking quashing of the FIR filed against them, said the engineers have shown laxity in approving the plan sanction without physically inspecting the property.

The High Court had dismissed the petitions filed by four BBMP engineers, M L Munikrishna, retired chief engineer; P Gangappa, assistant director of Town Planning, Mahadevapura Zone; Sunitha H, assistant engineer at the office of the assistant director of Town Planning, Mahadevapura and M Leyakath, assistant director of Town Planning, Dasarahalli, challenging the FIR filed on August 6.

The petitioners had sought quashing of the FIR and a stay on their suspension order dated August 9. Subsequently, the BMTF filed another FIR on August 11 against 20 engineers, including the petitioners.

The four engineers filed fresh petitions on Tuesday, in the wake of the FIR by name against them. The fresh petition will be heard by Justice Anand Byrareddy on Wednesday.