In a reprieve for Union Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, the Supreme Court on Friday set aside an order directing Bengaluru municipal authorities to take back a plot allocated to him in view of allegedly raising construction in violation of rules. "The order passed by the High Court is not sustainable in law and the said order is hence set aside. Appeals are allowed," held a bench led by Justice Madan B Lokur. The bench said that the allotment of the plot will remain valid. Gowda and other BJP leader had appealed against the Karnataka High Court order that questioned raising of five storey building for commercial purpose against the lease agreement as well as the building plan. The Bengaluru Development Authority had in 2006 allotted a site under the Chief Minister's discretionary quota following a letter written by Gowda, who was the leader of opposition in State Assembly in 2002. However, D N Jeevaraj, a BJP MLA who had been allotted the adjacent site, along with Gowda, allegedly raised a commercial building after amalgamating the two sites. Social worker K G Nagalakshmi Bai had filed a PIL in the HC against Gowda and Jeevaraj and the HC ordered cancellation of the allotment.
