Bengaluru: In a major development in the alleged government land grab case in Harohalli, the Revenue Department has finally granted permission to initiate criminal proceedings against several government officials and staff accused of facilitating the illegal transfer of valuable government land through forged records during the period when senior political leaders represented the region.
The decision comes nearly five months after the Bengaluru Divisional Commissioner had recommended criminal action against the officials allegedly involved in manipulating land records, creating fake documents and enabling private individuals to claim ownership over government property.
The controversy revolves around two acres of government land in Survey No. 478 of Harohalli village in Ramanagara district. According to official records and departmental inquiries, the land was allegedly converted into private ownership through a series of questionable mutations, survey revisions, land conversion approvals and revenue entries based on fabricated documents.
The Revenue Department, after examining reports submitted by regional authorities, has now directed officials to register criminal cases under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964, and other applicable laws against those found responsible.
A communication issued by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue Department on June 11 has instructed authorities to proceed with criminal prosecution against officials, employees and other persons involved in the alleged fraud. Officials facing action include former and serving revenue officers, survey officials, village-level staff and land records personnel who allegedly played a role in approving mutations, conducting survey revisions and facilitating land conversion despite serious irregularities.
Among those named in the recommendation are former Ramanagara Sub-Divisional Officer Binoy P.K., Tahsildars M. Vijayanna and G.P. Harshavardhan, several revenue inspectors, surveyors, village accountants and officials from the Department of Land Records. The case gained significance after inquiries revealed that the disputed land was originally government-owned property and had already been acquired by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) for the development of the Harohalli Industrial Area.
Despite the acquisition process having been completed years ago, revenue records were allegedly altered in 2023 and 2025 to show private ownership. Authorities suspect that forged grant orders, fake cultivation records and fabricated supporting documents were used to create an appearance of legal ownership.
The Bengaluru South Sub-Divisional Officer’s Court had earlier examined the matter in detail and delivered a significant order on April 16, 2026. The court cancelled all disputed mutations and subsequent transactions related to the land and directed that the property be restored in government records. The court also ordered that criminal action be initiated against all individuals responsible for creating forged records and facilitating the illegal transfer of government land.
According to the findings, there was no evidence in revenue records between 1969 and 2023 showing that the land had ever been legally granted to private individuals. Investigators found that the alleged grant documents surfaced only recently, raising serious doubts about their authenticity. A forensic examination reportedly confirmed that several key documents relied upon to claim ownership were fabricated. These findings strengthened the case for initiating criminal proceedings against those involved.
The KIADB also informed authorities that the disputed land falls within the limits of the Harohalli Second Phase Industrial Area and had already been acquired under the provisions of the KIADB Act. Official acquisition notifications, survey sketches and compensation records were submitted before authorities during the inquiry.
Officials further confirmed through site inspections that the disputed two-acre parcel lies within land already vested with the industrial development authority. The case attracted attention after complaints were filed by social organisations and activists alleging that influential individuals, with the assistance of revenue officials, had attempted to grab prime government land worth several crores of rupees.
Following these complaints, the Divisional Commissioner ordered a detailed examination of the records and subsequently recommended criminal prosecution against all officials found involved in the alleged manipulation of government documents.
