The Chamarajanagar Revenue Department yesterday took over the land in Mangala village near Bandipur Tiger Reserve on which former BJP MLC G. Madhusudan and others had set up a resort and demolished the structures built on it. Madhusudan and others had constructed a resort “Tiger Ranch” on the land that borders the Tiger Reserve.

Revenue officials said that they reached the spot yesterday morning and completed the operations by late afternoon. Most of the material had been voluntarily removed by Madhusudan and others, said the officials. The disputed property is in Mangala village, abutting Bandipur and is close to the migratory paths of wild animals.

The team of revenue officials was led by Deputy Tahsildar of Hangala Village Deepak and the demolition included the resort boundaries and the structures that were built to accommodate tourists.

Mysuru Regional Commissioner M.V. Jayanthi had recently directed the Deputy Commissioner of Chamarajanagar district on Feb. 20 to reclaim nearly 40 acres of land at Mangala village. The then Principal Chief Conservator of Forests B.G. Hosmath had complained to the Regional Commissioner saying that Madhusudan and others had illegally constructed a resort near an elephant corridor.

When the case came up for hearing, Regional Commissioner ruled that Madhusudan had violated the provisions of Karnataka Land Reforms Act during the purchase and, hence, the transaction was illegal. The order said permission had been granted to a non-agriculturist for purchasing an agricultural land without verifying the buyer’s income.

Though the then Assistant Commissioner of Nanjangud cleared the transaction over 20 years ago, a revision petition was filed by Hosmath when he suspected the bona fides of the sale.

“I HAVE APPROACHED THE HC”

Speaking to SOM this morning, former MLC G. Madhusudan said that he had already filed a petition in the Karnataka High Court as the Regional Commissioner has acted beyond the purview of her powers. “The case will come up in the next couple of days and the Revenue Department officials have demolished the resort in a great urgency. I will fight it out in the Court as the transactions are legal,” he said.