The Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) council meeting on Thursday turned stormy as ruling and opposition members clashed over allegations against Deputy Commissioner of Revenue, Reshma Talikoti.
At the start, ruling party leader Hanumant Kongali accused Talikoti of harassing citizens during property pre-delivery inspections and allegedly demanding hefty bribes. Supporting his stand, councillor Ravi Dhotre and others claimed that Talikoti disrespected elected representatives and demanded her immediate removal.
The ruling group went further, pushing for a formal resolution against Talikoti and urging the state government to order an inquiry and transfer her. They alleged her role in the Vega Funmobile Pvt Ltd tax evasion case, where officials allegedly facilitated evasion of nearly ₹4.7 crore—a case already recommended to the Lokayukta. Members argued that her continuation in the post could allow tampering with evidence.
The opposition benches, however, strongly objected. Belagavi North MLA Asif Sait warned that “targeting officers who don’t yield to political pressure is becoming a trend.” He stressed that disputes should be placed before proper authorities and that the council should focus on development, not individual officers.
Countering this, Belagavi South MLA Abhay Patil supported the resolution, stating: “If any officer is involved in wrongdoing, action is necessary. Let the government conduct an inquiry.”
As ruling members refused to relent, the opposition staged a walkout. Following their exit, Mayor Mangesh Pawar called for voting.
Resolution Passed Without Opposition
Senior officials, including Commissioner Shubha B and Council Secretary Priyanka C. Vinayak, attempted to dissuade corporators, noting that no charges against Talikoti had been proven. Commissioner Shubha clarified that Talikoti was only one among 25 accused in the Vega case, which was still under investigation.
Despite this, 35 ruling corporators voted in favour of the resolution, with none against due to the opposition walkout. The council passed a historic resolution—the first of its kind in BCC history—seeking Talikoti’s removal and an inquiry headed by a retired judge. Mayor Pawar also directed that she be relieved from the Revenue Department and reassigned until investigations conclude.
Allegations and Heated Exchanges
During the debate, corporator Shahidkhan Pathan raised the issue of the PID scam, after which ruling members directly demanded Talikoti’s transfer. She also faced allegations of irregularities in e-account registration, the Vega Helmet House rent scam, and maladministration.
Adding fuel to the debate, corporators claimed Talikoti had deliberately gone on leave on the very day of the meeting. Commissioner Shubha clarified that her absence was due to ill health.
The matter triggered sharp exchanges. MLA Raju Seth argued that no decision should be taken while the officer was on leave. MLA Abhay Patil objected, insisting that action could not be stalled given the mounting reports of irregularities. A verbal spat broke out between Dhotre and Seth, with Seth warning that such decisions could even lead to the dissolution of the corporation. Patil, however, dismissed the warning, stating irregularities could not be ignored.
As tensions peaked, the opposition walked out, after which the doors to the council hall were closed and the ruling group carried the motion.