Forum sees scam in land acquisition for rural development university

The Karnataka Janashakthi Vedike said on Saturday that corruption had taken place during the land acquisition process at Nagavi and Kalasapur villages in Gadag taluk, where the government has planned to set up the Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University.

The university is functioning out of a private building in Gadag at present.

Speaking to reporters here, Vedike president Syed Khalid Koppal charged that a piece of government land, shown as private land, was sold back to the government. The government has been cheated to the tune of Rs 11 crore, he said. Koppal released documents in support of his claims.

He said the Vedike would soon file a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau in this regard.

A total of 249 acres - 125 acres in survey number 179/b/1 and 124 acres in survey no 143/2b/b/1b/2 at Kalasapur and Nagavi villages, respectively, were ‘purchased’ in the name of one Krishnarao Ramrao Huyilgol and his relatives in 2002. However, the purchased land belongs to the government, he pointed out.

He charged that the government had reserved more than 120 acres of land in these villages for freedom fighters. However, using political clout and with the help of Revenue department officials, the land was illegally transferred to the Huyilgol family. It was then sold back to the government.  “The district administration does not have records regarding the transfer of land. Hence, it is clear that corruption had taken place in land acquisition,” he said.