Karnataka: Forest land given to develop Abhiman Studio illegally sold

Half a century after the government sanctioned 20 acres of forest land in Kengeri to develop Abhiman Studio, officials have found several violations, including the illegal sale of 10 acres of the land, and an illegal attempt to sell the remaining part at Rs 14.37 crore.

The land was notified by the erstwhile Maharaja of Mysore as the Turahalli State Forest. However, it was never denotified and its legal status remained forest. As per the Supreme Court order in Godavarman Thirumulpad vs Union of India case, the land has to be restored to the Forest Department.

In March 1970, the government sanctioned the 20 acres to veteran Kannada actor T N Balakrishna under the condition that the land should not be utilised for any purpose other than developing Abhiman Film Studio.

As per the condition, the land could not be sold or alienated, and any violation would lead to the government taking back the land. However, in the following years, several irregularities took place. It started with the July 16, 2003, order of the special deputy commissioner (DC), Bengaluru Urban, permitting Balakrishna’s sons Srinivas and B Ganesh to sell 10 acres of the land, allegedly to fund the development of the studio.

Last year, the Forest Department wrote to the Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner, stating that the special DC’s order to sell 10 acres of forest was illegal without the express approval of the government and without denotification of the forest.

Back in 2015, the then Bengaluru Urban deputy commissioner had written to the additional chief secretary, Revenue Department, to withdraw the sanction.

“The report by the tahsildar states that B Ganesh has failed to develop the studio and recommends that the government take back the remaining 10 acres,” says the letter, a copy of which is available with DH.

The Forest Department has requested the Bengaluru Urban DC to restore the land as a forest as per the law.

To a question, Bengaluru Urban DC Jagadeesha G said he will look into the matter.

“I have received the letters from the forest department. I will look into the documents and order the assistant commissioner to conduct an inquiry. The same will be forwarded to the government,” he said.