Representative image for an arrest.
Credit: iStock Photo
Bengaluru: The Mudigere police on Tuesday arrested M B Nemannagouda alias M B Manmatha for allegedly attempting to encroach upon 482 acres of forest and government land at B M Kaval at Kengeri here by submitting forged documents, Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar B. Khandre has said.
Speaking to DH, Mudigere police inspector Rajeshekar K V said Manmatha, (68) was arrested from his relative’s house at Kadur early morning and taken into police custody for interrogation.
“Manmatha is basically an agriculturist and owns some property in Mudigere where he lives along with his family. He was absconding in Kadur when he was taken into custody. We need to question him to ascertain how he got involved in the forest and government land-grabbing attempt,” the inspector said.
Khandre said Manmatha had earlier attempted to stake claim over 512 acres and 26 guntas of forest and government land by using false and fabricated documents and obtaining a court order. Following this, the Assistant Conservator of Forests lodged a complaint at the Mudigere police station on November 28, while a separate complaint was also filed by tahsildar Ashwini S of Mudigere on December 13.
Based on these complaints, the police registered an FIR and arrested Manmatha during the course of the investigation. The Minister said the role of others involved in the alleged conspiracy to encroach upon forest and government land would be revealed during the probe.
Khandre alleged that some officials and government advocates were extending direct and indirect support to those attempting to grab forest and government land worth thousands of crores of rupees. He said he had written to the Chief Minister seeking either a CID probe or an investigation by a Special Investigation Team.
Warning that no one would be spared for attempting to encroach upon forest land using fake documents, Khandre said such illegal acts would not be tolerated.