The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Woman accused in criminal case in poll fray

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 25, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Woman accused in criminal case in poll fray

Special Correspondent

G. Padmavathi is Congress candidate from Rajajinagar
She is accused of conspiracy, cheating, forgery

BANGALORE: Not just men, even a woman accused in a criminal case is contesting the Assembly elections from Bangalore.

The Congress candidate from Rajajinagar constituency and a three-time corporation councillor, G. Padmavathi, has been charged under three sections of the Indian Penal Code — criminal conspiracy (120B), cheating (420) and forgery for the purpose of cheating (468).

On a complaint by the then Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) Inspector, Muddumahadevaiah, the Ulsoor Gate police registered a case against Ms. Padmavathi and others in February 2001. The case is pending trial.

In the affidavit she filed along with her nomination papers, Ms. Padmavathi has mentioned that she is an accused in the criminal case (crime number 103/2001).

The BMTF had lodged a complaint with the police that the then chairman of the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s Appeals Committee, B.T. Srinivasa Murthy, and four councillors, including Ms. Padmavathi, who were members of the committee, had entered into a criminal conspiracy and fraudulently created a document to help a businessman whose building was being demolished by the BMTF.

The BMTF team demolished the fourth floor of Hotel Shiva International in Gandhinagar on December 26, 2000. When the demolition resumed the next day, building owner Somashekar produced a stay order issued by the Appeals Committee on December 22, 2000.

Order forged

During a preliminary inquiry, the BMTF officials found that Mr. Somashekar had not submitted an application to the Appeals Committee and the matter had not been discussed during the committee meeting held on December 22. The committee members had allegedly connived with Mr. Somashekar and forged the stay order to help him, the BMTF said in its complaint.

The committee chairman and the four members were also charged with violating Section 505 of the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act, 1976. Mr. Somashekar is also an accused in the case.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka