Karnataka High Court Greenlights Summons for Revenue Officials in Bidadi Land Grab Probe Involving Ex-CM Kumaraswamy

In a significant development concerning the high-profile Bidadi land grab case, the Karnataka High Court has granted permission to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to summon and question revenue officials. This crucial ruling paves the way for a deeper probe into allegations of illegal land denotification, a scandal that implicates former Chief Minister H.D.

Kumaraswamy.

The case revolves around the alleged denotification of a vast 82.11 acres of land in Bidadi, Ramanagara district. This land was originally acquired by the government for the ambitious formation of a new township. However, accusations emerged that during his tenure as Chief Minister between 2006 and 2007, H.D.

Kumaraswamy misused his position to illegally denotify this land, reportedly to benefit specific individuals. The SIT, tasked with unraveling the complexities of this alleged corruption, had previously faced a hurdle when the High Court issued a stay on the summons issued directly to Kumaraswamy. This led to a period of uncertainty regarding the scope of their investigation.

Seeking clarity, the SIT recently approached the court, specifically requesting guidance on whether the stay on Kumaraswamy's summons also extended to other key figures involved, particularly the revenue department officials whose testimonies are crucial to understanding the land's status and the denotification process.

The High Court, responding to the SIT's plea, emphatically clarified that its earlier stay order was strictly limited to the summons issued to the former Chief Minister alone. It unequivocally stated that the entire investigation itself was not halted. This clarification now empowers the SIT to proceed with summoning and interrogating revenue department personnel, who hold vital information regarding the land records, acquisition, and subsequent denotification procedures.

The intricate Bidadi land grab case has a long history, originating from a private complaint filed by an activist back in 2012.

The complaint painted a grim picture of alleged malfeasance, asserting that the state incurred a massive loss of approximately Rs 300 crore due to these illicit land dealings. Recognizing the gravity of the allegations, the then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah initiated a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in 2015 to conduct a thorough and impartial probe into the matter.

With the latest court directive, the SIT now has renewed impetus to delve into the bureaucratic intricacies, hoping to bring clarity and accountability to a case that has cast a long shadow over Karnataka's political landscape.