Govt land scam in Nagamangala: Upalokayukta registers suo motu case against Tahsildar, others

The Upalokayukta has registered a suo motu case against Tahsildar of Nagamangala taluk and others in connection with the case relating to alleged creation of fake documents for illegal grant of about 300 acres of Government land worth ₹200 crore in the taluk.

A criminal case has also been registered against 11 persons involved in the alleged scam after a search by the officials showed large scale manipulation of Government land records to facilitate the illegal grant of public land.

With the arrest of five Government officials in the case, the Deputy Commissioner of Mandya Kumar has recommended to the Regional Commissioner, Mysuru, to suspend the Deputy Tahsildar, Devalapura Nada Kacheri, and Sheristedar, Nagamangala Taluk office and suspended four Second Division Assistants. A Village Assistant has also been relieved in the case.

The Tahsildar of Nagamangala taluk, who is responsible for safeguarding government records, has been served with a show-cause notice by the Deputy Commissioner for allowing the subordinate staff to illegally alter records and committing dereliction of duty.

According to a press statement, Government land approval or “darkhast” records like cultivation (saguvali) slips, distribution records, official memorandums, valuation documents and notices pertaining to the Government land in the villages under Nagamangala taluk such as H.N. Kavalu, Chikkajataka, Doddajataka, Karadahalli and others were found forged as per the convenience of the accused. 

Also original office records had been altered and the Government land was illegally granted by misusing official authority, the statement said.

A criminal case had been registered against the five accused Government officials at Nagamangala Town police station under various Sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 following raids conducted at the Nagamangala Taluk Office recently.

Second Division Assistant Satish H.V., Shirastedar Ravishankar, Village Assistant of Kantapura Circle S. Yogesh, Shirastedar Umesh and Second Division Assistant of the Record Room Gurumurthy, who had been arrested, were produced before the JMFC court and sent to 14 days of judicial custody, the statement added.

Meanwhile, the Upalokayukta Mr Justice B. Veerappa has directed the Superintendent of Police, Karnataka Lokayukta, Mandya, to conduct a thorough inquiry into the matter and submit a detailed report along with supporting documents by January 19, 2026.