• RTI activist brings case to light
• Additional Tahsildar N. Vishwanath orders registration of criminal case

By S.T. Ravikumar

Mysore/Mysuru: Cases of land sharks creating fake documents and grabbing lands in Mysuru surroundings are increasing day by day.

RTI activist B.N. Nagendra has brought to light a plot by a reputed family to grab land worth of crores of rupees following which Mysuru Taluk Additional Tahsildar N. Vishwanath, on Sept. 7, has ordered cancellation of the illegal land Khata and registration of criminal cases against those who had committed forgery to obtain the Khata.

On Apr. 26, 2021, one Sudheer Jayagopal, a resident of Bengaluru, had applied for Khata change for 3.04 acre land located on Survey No. 206 in Lalithadripura village, Varuna hobli in Mysuru taluk. Additional Tahsildar Vishwanath, in his order, has quashed the Khata change application submitted by Sudheer following which the proceedings in MRH 28/2020-2021 (Transaction No. 81) registered in the Land Records section has been cancelled.

The Addl. Tahsildar has also ordered the Revenue Inspector of Varuna hobli to register a criminal case against the culprits and initiate necessary action.

This apart, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Dr. B.S. Manjunathaswamy, who has written a letter to the Office of the Mysuru Assistant Commissioner on Sept. 2, has instructed to conduct an enquiry into Taluk Office staff, who had joined hands with land sharks and created fake documents pertaining to 3.21 acre land in Survey No. 206 at Lalithadripura village and 22 guntas land in Survey No. 55/2 and 8 gunta land in Survey No. 55/6 at Tirumakudalu village in T. Narasipur taluk and initiate legal action as urged by RTI activist B.N. Nagendra. The letter also instructed the Assistant Commissioner to check the genuineness of the family tree (Vamsha Vruksha), Death Certificate and other documents pertaining to the lands and submit a report to him.

The said 3.21 acre land in Survey No. 206 at Lalithadripura was originally a Government land which later came to Melukote Shingaiyengar as per RR 379 of the proceedings. His name is also registered in the RTC, according to the complaint lodged by RTI activist Nagendra with the Mysuru Deputy Commissioner.

The complaint further states that T. Narasipur former MLA Srinivas Iyengar, Lalitha Jaigopal and others have given their address as residents of Mysuru, obtained the family tree and submitted an application for Pouthi Khata. Nagendra has alleged that the officials without obtaining the Death Certificate of the original land owner and family tree, prepared a check list and went forward to prepare the Pouthi Khata.

Nagendra has urged to initiate legal action against the T. Narasipur Tahsildar Office staff for identifying lands without owners and joining hands with land sharks to prepare Pouthi Khatas for them, following which the Additional Tahsildar has ordered legal action.

It may be recalled that Kuvempunagar Police had recently arrested three persons who were involved in creating fake land documents and had seized fake seals (rubber stamps) of various Departments and printers which were used to create fake land documents.