Whistleblowers are pressing for accountability from officials responsible for causing a ₹7 crore loss to the public exchequer by illegally constructing a road in the Shahapur area. In 2021, Belagavi Smart City Limited (BSCL) built a road from the Bank of India Circle to Old Dharwad Road without following proper land acquisition protocols.
The officials failed to secure consent from private landowners or compensate them. Following a recent high court order, the land, along with the constructed road, was returned to the original landowners, rendering the road unusable by the public despite its being in use for the past three years.
Whistleblowers are demanding that the government and district administration hold the officials accountable and recover the ₹7 crore loss. They also allege that some local public representatives influenced the officials involved. District minister Satish Jarkiholi recently pointed out that the BCC commissioner at the time issued a no-objection certificate without consulting the district administration, even though it was under administrative control. He stressed that the loss must be recovered from the commissioner and other responsible officials.
Meanwhile, Belagavi (North) MLA Asif Sait raised the issue during the BCC’s general body meeting, insisting that the recovery should be sought from the BSCL MD in charge during the project. Whistleblowers Rajkumar Topannavar and Sujit Mulgund remain firm in their stance, emphasizing that officials must be held accountable for the misuse of public funds. “₹7 crore is a significant amount, and the loss must be recovered from those responsible,” they said. Topannavar added that they have given the district administration two weeks to act, warning that they will move to court if no action is taken.
