Are you hoodwinking us, asks HC

BANGALORE: The High Court on Monday held that Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is hoodwinking the court and making mockery of the process by not complying with its order.Coming down heavily on the Palike for not presenting the factual position, the court has summoned the BBMP Commissioner for the next hearing of a case related to a public road, on Thursday.The Division Bench consisting of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice H G Ramesh questioned the BBMP counsel as to why an alternative road has not been developed as directed by the court in 2006 and observed, “You make mockery of the process. Why have not declared it as a public road till now, if it is being maintained by the BBMP as the public road?” “Domlur Layout is a public cause. In 2008, you state that it is not BBMP land and it belongs to the Army and now you say it is BBMP land.You were supposed to make an alternative road and now you are telling a different story. We feel upset, you are unfair to the court. Why did you lie to us? The BBMP has not filed its objection, they have taken the memo and vanished.” The court further questioned, “Are you Hoodwinking us? What kind of organisation are you? Making fun of this court? Internal communication admits it is an Army land, here you come and say it’s your land.False statement has been made. Some body has to be sent to jail. Your are took thick skinned.” The Bench also observed that the previous commissioner Bharath Lal Meena and the present Commissioner, in the objections filed, have submitted that the land in which the road is situated belongs to the Army and in spite of that, the counsel for the BBMP had sought adjournment to enable him to bring to the notice of the court to declare it as a public road.“How could the BBMP declare it as a public road? The statement made by the BBMP leads us to believe that it is hoodwinking this court through this information.During discussion between the Army and the BBMP, it was decided that the BBMP will develop an alternative road within three months and the question of alternate road would have arisen only if the land belonged to the Army. Though the court had issued a clear order in this regard in 2006 the BBMP is responsible for wasting the valuable time of the court,” the Bench said.The court adjourned the case to Thursday and directed the BBMP Commissioner to be present.