Following a complaint by one of the executive committee members of National Education Society of Hosaritti in Haveri district, the Guttal Police have registered a case against 17 people, including some office-bearers of the education society, for transferring property belonging to the society in violation of norms.

The complaint was filed by executive committee member of National Education Society Sidlingappa Hallikeri who had raised objection to the proposal of sale of the society’s property in the committee meeting.

Despite his objection, the executive committee had gone ahead with the proposal and sold the property.

The complaint is that the office-bearers had taken decision in favour of selling high value property of the society which subsequently was purchased by the office-bearers, their relatives and acquaintances.

In the complaint it is said that without prior approval from the State government or competent authorities of the Education Department, the properly was sold at a low price.

In the FIR registered by the Guttal Police the names of society president Rajendra Prasad Hallikeri, society vice-presidents Gudlesh Hallikeri and Dayanand Kalkoti, working president Ramesh Ekabote, special financial advisor Veeranna Chekki, Girish Ankalakoti, secretary Chandrashekhar Aralihalli, deputy secretary Mrutyunjaya Vaggannanavar, executive committee members Shambulingappa Arali, Prabhulingappa Gaurimani, Danappa Angadi and Sharanabasava Kodihalli, advisory committee members Channabasappa Hegadal and Vitthal Ekabote, relatives of the office-bearers Basavaraj Udasi and Swaroopanand Ekabote and contractor Naresh Mantatti have been mentioned

The FIR is registered under Sections 316, 318(4) and 61 of BNS for breach of trust, cheating, abetment of property transfer and criminal conspiracy.

It is said that president Rajendra Prasad Hallikeri and others facilitated the transfer of 7.5 guntas of land in Survey No 71B, belonging to the society, for commercial use to office-bearers and their relatives without government approval and without a public auction.

It is also said in the complaint that as National Education Society runs aided institutions, the sale was a clear violation of Sections 60 and 107 of the Karnataka Education Act 1983, amounting to unlawful misuse of public property.

The office-bearers of the National Education Society, however, have contended that since the property was not a land granted by the government, the society has not violated any law.

Moreover, the funds mobilised by the sale have been utilised for constructing a new building for the degree college being run by the society, they said.