Bengaluru: In a major ruling, the Karnataka High Court has cancelled the allotment of 53 acres and 26 guntas of prime land in Hebbal to a private entity named Lakeview Tourism Corporation, and ordered a CBI investigation into the entire transaction. The court also imposed a Rs 10 lakh penalty on the company.
The bench observed that the land allotment process reflected serious irregularities and described the state’s conduct as a “fraud on the Constitution.”
Prime Hebbal Land Allotted Despite the Company Not Existing
According to court findings, the land near Amanikere, Hebbal, was acquired from farmers in 2004 at around Rs 15 lakh per acre and later allotted to Lakeview Tourism Corporation for development purposes.
However, the case took a serious turn after it emerged that the company had allegedly applied for the land in 2000, while it was officially incorporated only in 2011.
This raised fundamental questions over how an entity that did not legally exist at the time could apply for and later receive high-value public land.
Court Flags Rapid Approvals and Financial Weakness
The division bench of Justice D.K. Singh and Justice Tara Vitasta Ganju made several critical observations:
- The application was allegedly processed and recommended within five days
- The company reportedly had only Rs 1 lakh share capital
- Its current net worth was said to be negative Rs. 8.60 lakh
- Yet it received land now valued at thousands of crores
“The acquisition process itself was not for a genuine public purpose,” the court reportedly observed.
Tourism Purpose Later Shifted to Commercial Use
The court also noted that land initially obtained in the name of a tourism project was later considered for commercial township use in 2023, indicating a possible change in original intent.
CBI Probe Ordered
The High Court said an independent probe was necessary and expressed doubts over the ability of state agencies to conduct a fully impartial investigation. It therefore transferred the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The agency is expected to examine official approvals, land acquisition records, committee decisions, company documents, and the role of public officials.
