Former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, on Thursday, released a copy of a government document which suggests that since 2001 the controversial land, the allotment of which yielded alleged kickbacks to him, was a gomala land and not non-agricultural as alleged by the Congress and Vokkaliga Sangha.

As per the RTC document, it is said that the land in question at Srigandha Kaval is still under the Revenue department and is indicated as gomala land since 2001. It is part of this 15 acre, which has not yet been converted by the local deputy commissioner and cannot be used for commercial purpose. 

He defended his actions in the allotment of land to a freedom fighter’s family, being disputed by Vokkaliga Sangha, suggesting that the promised land was handed to that family. “The charges levelled against me is one which clearly portrays defamatory action by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress government. This can be seen by the hasty FIR lodged with BMTF against me. The case was registered soon after I raised the denotification scam in Arkavathi Layout,” Shettar said.

He said the decision to hand over four acres of land was based on the Supreme Court directions to immediately provide relief to the family which was struggling for 30 years to get back their land.