The encroached land was neither reclaimed nor officially declared as government property, and no complaint regarding the forged documents was lodged with the local police, the officer said.
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: Police probing the alleged government land grab near Kogilu in northern Bengaluru suspect "large-scale fabrication of documents, illegal collection of money from encroachers and the possible involvement of government officials".
On Thursday, Yelahanka police detained two more people — Robin and Muni Anjinappa — in the case while continuing to question two key suspects, Vijay Kumar and Waseemullah Beg, who were arrested on Wednesday.
The key suspects allegedly collected money from illegal occupants and issued them fake documents, including "ownership papers" for government land, a senior officer said.
Kumar and Beg allegedly collected between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 3 lakh from each encroacher, promising to "allot or regularise" government land in their favour. Only a few occupants possessed valid documents, while the majority were found to be relying on forged records created by the suspects, the officer added.
Police investigations also showed that Robin, another suspect, allegedly posed as a government officer, assisting Kumar and Beg in collecting money from residents. "Robin introduced himself as a government official and played a crucial role in convincing residents to pay money for land allotment. He actively helped the suspects collect cash while (Waseemullah) Beg named the area after himself (Waseem Layout)," the officer explained.
The police investigation has raised concerns over the inaction of the revenue authorities. Police sources said that despite being aware of the encroachment and the creation of fake documents, the Yelahanka tahsildar’s office failed to initiate action.
The encroached land was neither reclaimed nor officially declared as government property, and no complaint regarding the forged documents was lodged with the local police, the officer said.
Sources said the police were likely to question the tahsildar who served in Yelahanka between 2022 and 2025 to ascertain whether there was negligence or collusion that allowed the illegal occupation to continue unchecked.
Police are also preparing to widen the investigation based on documentary evidence and witness statements, and may summon more suspects, including government officials. "This appears to be an organised racket involving middlemen, fake documents and abuse of official position. More arrests are likely," the officer added.
The Yelahanka police continue to verify land records and ownership claims as part of the ongoing probe into the alleged government land grab and another FIR is likely to be registered over creating fake documents and forgery.