Attempt to grab Rs 500 cr forest land: Two senior KAS officers booked

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Forest Department has registered an FIR against senior KAS officers M G Shivanna and Ajit Kumar Rai for illegally changing the status of 18 acres of forest land worth Rs 500 crore.

The 17 acre 34 gunta of land in Survey Number 47 of Kothanur, KR Puram hoblli, was declared a forest by the Bengaluru Urban deputy commissioner in June 2006. The matter was challenged in the High Court of Karnataka and the Supreme Court, which upheld the deputy commissioner's decision to declare it a forest.

In January 2023, then Assistant Commissioner Shivanna and Tahsildar Rai unilaterally changed the status of the forest parcel into "government land". Following a complaint, Forest Minister Eshwar B Khandre had ordered an inquiry.

A vigilance report by the department had noted that the two officers had no reasons to go against the 2006 order by their superior. "Prima facie, there is a conspiracy to grab the forest land," the report had said.

The FIR comes days after the minister directed the department to take necessary steps to recover the land and take action against those responsible for the illegal change of the land's status.

The two senior KAS officers have been booked under Karnataka Forest Act 1963's Section 33 (prohibition of encroachment), 104 (violation of provisions) and 104 c (which deals with abetment commission of offence).