Court seeks response to plea for Lokayukta probe into Kharge trust land row

Marathe then approached the high court against the decision, and the special court was on August 18 directed to reconsider his plea for a police investigation.

“The Honble High Court observed that the defect noted is a curable defect and directed to provide an opportunity to cure the defect. The complainant submitted the affidavit on 10.09.2026 and cured the defect,” the special court said in its September 18 order.

The special court also noted that it had previously “prima facie found the alleged illegalities narrated in the complaint” and since the defect in the affidavit was cured, “there is no impediment to proceed with the matter”.

Civic amenity site allotted by BJP government

The 8,001-square-metre site of the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) was allotted to the Siddhartha Vihar Trust to set up an educational institution at a cost of Rs 1 crore by the then BJP government headed by B S Yediyurappa, following a 50 per cent concession. The land is valued at over Rs 10 crore now.

The complainant alleged that the property had not been utilised by the trust for the intended purpose despite obtaining the allotment on the grounds of being an NGO working for the welfare of the Scheduled Caste community.

The site is now embroiled in a legal dispute after the BJP government denotified the land from BDA acquisition in favour of private persons. In 2021, the high court cancelled the original land acquisition by the BDA on account of the alleged non-utilisation of land, but the Siddhartha Vihar Trust obtained a stay with respect to their land.

The complainant has argued that a police agency must investigate the matter since the Prevention of Corruption Act “has put in place a specialised investigative agency equipped to probe allegations of corruption involving public servants”.