The Joint House Committee (JHC) probing the construction of the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) has indicted Infosys chief mentor N R Narayana Murthy, MP Rajeev Chandrashekar, bureaucrats V P Baligar, K Jairaj and other officials for "faulty" design and construction.

Murthy and Chandrashekar have been indicted on two counts. One, both were among the first directors when Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) was incorporated on January 5, 2001. Two, they participated in the first board meeting of BIAL, on March 21, 2001, which appointed IAS officer K Jairaj as managing director.

While Murthy refused to comment on the report, Rajeev Chandrashekar said he quit as a BIAL director in 2003, before the government brought in the private participant. "I have consistently criticized the monopoly status of the airport. The private stakeholder could exit the project in two years with a windfall profit, leaving no competition on the ground, with the closure of HAL airport, and making the new airport facility more expensive for the common man. So, in a way, I agree with the recommendations that somebody should be accountable for what has happened," he told TOI.

Describing the terminal building as an "industrial shed", the committee has expressed serious concern over the absence of a structure depicting the culture and glory of Karnataka.

The recommendations of the committee will bring cheer to people fighting for reopening of the HAL airport. It has asked both governments to consider reopening the old facility for healthy competition. Further, the JHC has asked the Centre to order BIAL to withdraw the user development fee of Rs 260 as the company has failed to provide facilities on par with international standards.