The petition by N Rajanna, a journalist, stated that C Chennigappa and his wife G H Siddagangamma held a trust named Kamnagondanahalli Sri Maruti Seva Samithi. It said, during 2000, they had purchased about 26 acres of land in their names, but, on this becoming public, Chennigappa had claimed to have purchased them with the funds raised from people for constructing a school for under-privileged children. He had said that the land and building would be donated to the Government and had relinquished the same through a GPA in 2004, Mr Rajanna stated.
But, again during 2006 the minister applied for exemption under the Land Revenue Act, to purchase some of the lands earlier relinquished - 4 acre 9 guntas in Byranayakanahalli and 2 acre 20 gunta in Kammasandra village, Mr Rajanna alleged. He stated that Bangalore Rural Deputy Commissioner had permitted the purchase by an order on March 27, 2007 and now the minister had filed an application for conversion of the land.
The petition impugned DC’s order granting the exemption to purchase, while seeking a direction to the Government to take control over the land. He also sought a probe as to how the minister had taken possession of the lands and had raised about Rs 100 crore incurred in the school project. The Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph admitted the petition.