A practising advocate was one among three persons who were convicted in a land-grabbing case by the Land Grabbing Prohibition Special Court in Bengaluru on Thursday.
The advocate, Shivaramu Venkataramaiah, along with Chikkaveeraiah K., 45, and H.N. Venkatramaiah, 68, all residents of Kodathakkal village in Tumakuru taluk have been sentenced to three years simple imprisonment with a fine of ₹25,000.
Special court judge H.N. Narayan, judicial member Balakrishna, and revenue member Jayarame Raj Urs delivered the verdict.
In 1978, the government had acquired 7 acres and 13 guntas at Jinega village, Kora sub-division, Tumakuru taluk, for construction of a lake. The government also paid compensation to land owners. The three accused persons fabricated documents, grabbed the government land, and constructed a farm house. A complaint was lodged against the three persons in 2016 at a land-grabbing prohibition special court in Bengaluru.
“This is the first instance where a practising advocate has been convicted in a land-grabbing prohibition special court under the Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Act,” said special public prosecutor B.S. Patil. The court also directed the jurisdictional tahsildar to recover the land to develop a lake.
