HD Kumaraswamy land grab case: Karnataka reclaims 14 acres after High Court rap

Revenue officials reclaimed 14.04 acres of government land encroached upon across survey numbers 7, 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, and 79, as identified by a joint survey conducted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), the revenue department, and the survey settlement department.

Published Mar 19, 2025 | 5:24 PMUpdated Mar 19, 2025 | 5:24 PM

HD Kumaraswamy land grab case: Karnataka reclaims 14 acres after High Court rap

Synopsis: The Karnataka Revenue Department reclaimed 14.04 acres of government land in Ramanagara district on 18 March, allegedly encroached upon by Union Heavy Industries Minister HD Kumaraswamy, following a Karnataka High Court directive.

The Karnataka Revenue Department on Tuesday, 18 March, took possession of 14.04 acres of government land, allegedly encroached upon by Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel HD Kumaraswamy, in Ramanagara district.

The action followed a stern reprimand from the Karnataka High Court on Monday over the revenue department’s delay in reclaiming the land.

During a hearing on the ongoing case, the court warned that officials could face imprisonment if they failed to act and demanded a status report before the next hearing, scheduled for 19 March.

In response, officials led by Ramanagara Deputy Commissioner Yashwanth V. Gurukar used earthmovers to clear the encroached land in Kethaganahalli village, Bidadi, near Kumaraswamy’s farmhouse.

They reclaimed 14.04 acres of government land encroached upon across survey numbers 7, 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, and 79, as identified by a joint survey conducted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), the revenue department, and the survey settlement department.

Confirming the action, Deputy Commissioner Gurukar stated:

“Since the matter is under judicial consideration, we will file the report in the court. The report is not in the public domain yet.”

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The allegations against Kumaraswamy and the SIT probe

The case dates back to 2020, when anti-corruption activist S R Hiremath’s organisation, Samaja Parivarthana Samudaya, accused Kumaraswamy and his relative, former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) D C Thammanna, of land encroachment.

The organisation later escalated the matter to the Karnataka High Court, filing a contempt petition against the government for failing to recover the encroached land, despite a Lokayukta directive.

In response, the Karnataka government formed a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) on 28 January 2025 to probe the allegations.

The SIT’s mandate includes verifying land ownership documents, conducting forensic testing if necessary, identifying land-related law violations, and ensuring the clearance of encroachments.

Meanwhile, on 15 March, R Devaraju, acting on behalf of Kumaraswamy, had written to district authorities, requesting them to recover any encroached land found under his name.

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Claims and counterclaims

Responding to the action, Kumaraswamy denied any wrongdoing and alleged a political conspiracy.

“I have never been involved in any illegal activities or land encroachment cases. The land in Ramanagara was purchased 40 years ago. I will fight against this conspiracy through legal means. The media must focus on reporting truths and not take any sides,” he said.

He also claimed that he was not  served an eviction notice before the revenue department’s action, stating:

“As per the law, if the government wants to evict somebody, they must serve a notice 15 days in advance. In this case, I have not received any notice or communication.”

However, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar dismissed Kumaraswamy’s claims, asserting that the government was simply following High Court orders.

“Kumaraswamy does not have to worry if he has not encroached on any land. There would be documents for everything. Why should he be concerned?” he said.

“[Chief Minister] Siddaramaiah and I never engage in vendetta politics. Court orders have been followed. This has nothing to do with us. A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed, and the courts rebuked officials for not taking action. The officials have surveyed the land in view of the court deadline.”

Additionally, responding to Kumaraswamy’s claim of not receiving a notice, he said:

“How can officials survey the land without giving notice? I do not know why his officials have written a letter asking us to take back the excess land. He has said that he has documents against us and that he will expose us. Let him do it.”

He continued: “Kumaraswamy accused me of forcibly obtaining signatures from a landowner. No one would sign without a formal transaction. If they are so confident, let them get a case filed by the victim. There have been many PILs against me too.”

(Edited by Dese Gowda)

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