The special court, set up under Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition Act, to try land grabbing cases has directed the deputy commissioner of Hassan to submit a report on the complaint filed by former minister A Manju on encroachment of 69.19 acres of government land in Hassan district.
In his complaint, Manju alleged that the entire land is in the possession of Minister for Public Works H D Revanna’s son Prajwal R and another person Kalle Gowda, a close relative of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.
The complainant A Manju, a minister in the previous Siddaramaiah government, has named Chief Secretary, Revenue secretary and DC, AC and tahsildar of Hassan as the respondents for their inaction to protect the government land. He has also named G Girish, G Adarsh Giri, Kalamma (represented by her son Kalle Gowda) and Prajwal R as the individuals who were involved in grabbing and selling of government land.
According to the complaint, the land in question is in Somanahalli Kaval village of Dudda Hobli in Hassan taluk. The complaint contended that land belonged to the state government as per the index of land register and that no grant has been made to any person. However, one Giri Gowda allegedly encroached the entire 69.19 acres of land in various survey numbers and got his name entered in the revenue records jointly in the names of his sons - G Girish, G Adarsh Giri. Subsequently, both Girish and Adarsh Giri sold 44.09 acres to Kalamma. Similarly, the siblings sold 24.30 acres to Prajwal R.
A Manju in his complaint stated that there were no records to suggest that the said government lands were granted to any person. However, the lands were sold as though the lands were vested with the sellers as a grant land. “Since the complainant alleges that the said survey numbers belong to the government and no grant has been made in favour of respondents number 6 to 9, we direct Hassan DC to furnish a detailed report in one month,” the court ordered.