BANGALORE: The children of a freedom fighter will finally get compensation 32 years after the land belonging to their father was acquired by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) for the formation of Nandini Layout.

The City Improvement Trust Board (CITB) acquired three acres of land located at J.B. Kaval (now Nadini Layout) in 1974 belonging to C.H. Narayana Rao and later asked him to establish title of the land for granting compensation.

Although Mr. Rao appeared before the Land Acquisition Officer several times and submitted documents establishing his title, the board and later the BDA did not award compensation. Mr. Rao then moved the High Court in 1987 seeking a direction to the BDA to give him compensation. Mr. Rao died in 1993 even as the case was pending.

In 1994, the High Court directed the BDA to give within three months the compensation due to Mr. Rao. However, the BDA decided to pay compensation only after a contempt of court petition was filed by Mr. Rao's children — H.N. Suresh, Sunanda, Sukanya and daughter-in-law Krishna Galagali.

The BDA again referred the issue of disbursement of compensation to the Bangalore City Civil Court for ascertaining the rights of Mr. Rao's legal heirs. In 2002, the City Court refused to release the amount saying that the children had failed to establish their legal rights.

Mr. Rao's children then moved the High Court challenging the lower court's order as well as the BDA's action in referring the matter to the city court.

Meanwhile, BDA Commissioner on Wednesday submitted an affidavit to the High Court stating that action will be taken to disburse compensation immediately.

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