Jadhav's mother bought land in violation of rules

 Chief Secretary Arvind Jadhav’s mother acquired agricultural lands at both Hegganahalli in Devanahalli and Ramanayakanahalli in Anekal in violation of the rules governing the purchase of farmland by non-agriculturists.

Tarabai Maruthirao Jadhav had bought 16 acres and 10 guntas through two sale deeds (28/02/1985 and 2/09/1985) at Kundana hobli in Devanahalli taluk for Rs 48,000. The same land was pledged to the Primary Land Development Bank in September 1990 for a loan of Rs 79,200, wherein Jadhav was one of the mortgagers along with his mother.

The land was subsequently converted by the then deputy commissioner, Bengaluru Rural, in 1996-97, and the plan was approved by the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority for residential plots.

In 1997-98, the plots were sold for a total consideration of Rs 58.87 lakh. In 1999, some more land was converted for commercial purpose and sold for Rs 4.35 lakh. Between 1999-2000, some plots were sold for Rs 9.90 lakh and in 2000-2001 a few more were sold for Rs 9.50 lakh.

The sale deeds suggest that Tarabai had earned Rs 82.52 lakh as proceeds from the sale of commercial plots between 1997-2001. Thus, it is found that she had bought the agricultural land in Devanahalli in violation of Section 79 (b) of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961, as she is not an agriculturist. It is also to be examined whether there was violation of Section 79 (a) vis-a-vis, the non-agricultural income exceeding the then prescribed limit.

A year after the last sale of the commercial plot in Devanahalli, Tarabai bought 16 acres and 10 guntas of agricultural land in various survey numbers at Ramanayakanahalli in Anekal taluk for Rs 16.25 lakh. However, this purchase is in clear violation of Sections 79 (a) and 79 (b). Reason: Tarabai had by then lost the “agricultural status” gained in Devanahalli after the conversion of the land and not engaging in any cultivation. By the sale of plots in Devanahalli, Tarabai had earned an average non-agricultural income of more than Rs 2 lakh from 1997 to 2002.

Retired IAS officer V Balasubramanian said the purchase of agricultural land in Anekal was a clear violation of Section 79 (a). “Once she (Tarabai) converted the agricultural land for commercial purpose and earned Rs 82 lakh, because of the high non-agricultural income, she was ineligible to purchase agricultural land.”

What the Act says

Sec 79 (a) of the KLR Act stipulates that “no person who are a family or a joint family which has an annual income of not less than Rs 2 lakh from sources other than agricultural lands, shall be entitled to acquire any land whether as land owner, landlord, tenant or mortgagee with possession or otherwise or partly in one capacity”.

Rajini’s 2 plots

There is a star connection to the controversy surrounding the sale of commercial plots by Chief Secretary Arvind Jadhav’s mother Tarabai Maruthirao Jadhav at Hegganahalli in Devanahalli taluk. Tamil superstar Rajinikanth has bought two plots, measuring nearly an acre, on the same land.