Did Karnataka's chief secretary tamper with government records?

Karnataka government's chief secretary (CS) Arvind Jadhav, who has been accused illegal land acquisitions, is now facing another allegation. Sources allege that he tried to tamper with government records in the Sub-registrar office in Kandaya Bhavan, through his personal assistant, Satish.

Satish was spotted in the Sub-Registrar office in Anekal yesterday night till 8 pm, despite his office being in the Vidhana Soudha. It is claimed that his extended visit was an attempt to tamper with official records.

Along with Satish, Hanumanthappa, Assistant Commissioner of Anekal, was also seen in the office beyond usual working hours. Perhaps a little more strangely, not only where the office gates locked, but the lights in the room were also switched off during this visit. 

When media persons arrived at the premises and asked about their untimely visit, they gave several vague explanations and abruptly left the office. 

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said yesterday he had sought a report from the revenue department in the wake of media reports that alleged that Jadhav had manipulated land records and misused his office to get 8.30 acres of government land registered in his mother's name.

 

Jadhav, in a detailed statement, said the land in Survey, No 29 of Ramanayakana Halli of Anekal Taluk was purchased by Tarabai Marutirao Jadhav (his mother) during 2002.

"The said land purchase was made well after the expiry of 15 years period of the non-alienation clause. To this effect an endorsement was issued by the revenue authorities in July 2002 stating that these belong to the general category," he said.

"The land was purchased by her out of the proceeds of the sale of agriculture land of Hegganahalli of Devanahalli Taluk. It was her money and her decision as an independent person," Jadhav said.

He also stated that the land was not a government property when it was purchased by his mother.

Running from the media: 

Incidentally, Arvind Jadhav has a minor history of fleeing from the press in strange ways. 

A while ago, when he was accused of being absent from a Parliamentary Standing Committee meeting, he literally fled from the press, running in the corridors of Vidhana Soudha, refusing to answer questions about his absence. 

Video footage of Jadhav running up a flight of stairs from the ground floor of the Vidhana Soudha to the second floor and later bolting himself in room was aired by Kannada TV channels and went viral

Yesterday too, a similar incident occurred between the CS and the media.

The media assembled before his house early Tuesday morning to note his explanation on the accusations of illegal land acquisition against him. However, instead of issuing a statement, the CS left home from the back door and met the CM directly in the Vidhana Soudha. 

In Vidhana Soudha, CM Siddaramaiah reportedly refused to hear any explanations and asked him to give a detailed report about the allegation. After this appointment, Jadhav came to his office, which is located on the third floor of the Vidhana Soudha around 12 pm.

Naturally, the media has assembled in his office as well. 

Jadhav made claims of a press meet in the evening, which the media quickly discovered was not true through sources in the commissioner's office. When attempts by the CS's staff and the Vidhana Soudha police could not get rid of the journalists, Jadhav barricaded himself inside his office till 7 pm before finally leaving late at night in a different car.