GREEN MINUTE NEWS:
Karnataka Forests, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre has requested Chief Minister a CID inquiry into the B M Kaval Forest grabbing scam in Bengaluru. This is to expose and punish those officials and others behind the scamster who submitted fake documents to grab 532 acres of forest and revenue land and has obtained an order from the Karnataka High Court.
M B Nemanna Gowda @ M B Manmatha who filed a writ petition in the Karnataka High Court has obtained an order to transfer the land documents in his favour. This includes a total of 532 acres of land – out of this, 482 acres is B M Kaval reserve forest land in Bengaluru. This forest land was allegedly allotted to M B Nemanna Gowda in the B M Kaval reserve forest area near Kengeri, Bengaluru, under the Inam Abolition Act three months ago.
FAILURE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION
Stating in his letter to the Chief Minister, the Forest Minister said, “Karnataka Additional Government Advocate Yoganna had failed to provide information on grabbing of 482 acres of forest land either to the state government or the Karnataka Forest Department till only a single day was left to complete the land document transfer in favour of Nemanna Gowda within 90 days as per High Court directions. In fact, Yoganna had colluded to facilitate the applicant – M B Nemanna Gowda stating that this is not a suitable case for filing an appeal which is indeed suspicious.”
FOREST LAND WORTH RS 25,000 CRORE
According to Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre, this land situated in BM Kaval Reserve Forest is worth about Rs 25,000 crore. The Karnataka Forest Department received information about this forest land grabbing case at the last minute and so, he immediately directed them to hold a meeting and file an appeal in the High Court.
Eshwar Khandre has stated in his letter to the CM that the applicant Nemanna Gowda is trying to grab government land and forest land by creating fake documents. Further, the above-mentioned person Manmatha alias Nemanna Gowda has also tried to claim government lands by giving false and fake documents in the past. In this regard, the then Deputy Divisional Officer of Chikkamagaluru, Daljeet Kumar, has directed to register a criminal case against the said person in his order dated 25.09.2024.
CAUSE FOR SUSPICION
As soon as the Bangalore B M. Kaval Reserve Forest matter came to my notice, states Eshwar Khandre in his letter and adds, “I instructed officials to file a complaint in this regard at the Chikkamagaluru Police Station. The fact that the Mudigere Police Circle Inspector, who received the complaint on 28.11.2025, has not yet registered an FIR is also a cause for suspicion. It is apparent that some officers and additional government lawyers are directly and indirectly helping those people who are grabbing government land and forest land worth thousands of crores of rupees.”
The Forest Minister has appealed to the Chief Minister to form a “special team” or “entrust this to the CID” and conduct a thorough investigation into this serious matter and take action against the guilty officials of various departments.
ACTION AGAINST ACF
Meanwhile, the then Deputy Divisional Officer of Chikkamagaluru had instructed the Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) to file a case against those who had created fake documents and encroached on government land. In view of this, Eshwar Khandre has also suggested that an investigation be conducted and action be taken those against those officers who had delayed in filing the complaint.