Kharab lands: Official lapses being probed by Lokayukta

Upa Lokayukta Subhash B Adi, who is investigating into the allegations of land dispute pertaining to survey number four at Alanahalli in the city, is looking into the lapses on the part of the officials, in connection with several bogus khatas claiming ownerships of lands, found during the ongoing probe.

Answering questions from the media, the Upa Lokayukta, who held a preliminary meeting with Deputy Commissioner C Shikha, Tahsildar Naveen Joseph and other officials concerned at the Government Guest House, here, on Monday, said: “The Deputy Commissioner is already probing the issue. As per the information available, there are contrasting versions pertaining to the actual number of kharab lands in the particular survey number.

Earlier, 745 acres (360.32 acres on survey number 104 and 385 acres on survey number 14) were declared kharab. However, when a survey was conducted in the year 1921, the entire area was brought under a single survey number (presumably survey number four) having 1,583 acres of land. While some of the lands were sold as per the transactions made by the erstwhile royal family, some were sold through mutation but without any title deed. Some lands were sold through bogus khatas.

Though 22 acres of land were sold to the university, it is under litigation. However, as per the agreement between the erstwhile royal family and the Central government in the year 1950, the same survey number had 1,412 acres of land, including 862 acres of kharab land.