Date:21/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/21/stories/2007062151420100.htm

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Selling non-converted farmland can land you in jail

Staff Reporter

Erring Revenue Department officials will be punished

BANGALORE: If you have a piece of farmland and want to make quick money by selling it to a builder without getting it legally converted, you can look at cooling your heels in jail.

The police will hereafter book a criminal case and arrest those selling agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes, including construction of houses, without getting the land converted, Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order) Shankar M. Bidari has said.

Mr. Bidari told presspersons here on Wednesday that according to the Karnataka Land Revenue (Amendment) Act, 2007, which received the assent of the Governor on May 6, selling of agricultural land for other purposes without the approval of the competent authority was a cognisable offence, attracting three years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 10,000. The Revenue Department officials concerned who fail to take action against such unlawful conversions will be punished.

Besides, those who forge or create fake documents regarding conversion of agricultural land will be liable to imprisonment for a year and a fine of Rs. 5,000, Mr. Bidari said, quoting the amended Section 192-A of the Act.

Superintendents of Police of all districts in the State have been instructed to take action.

Report to be sought

The police will seek a report from the jurisdictional revenue officer before registering a case.

However, the Act provides exemption in cases where the land was regularised by the Government by formulating a special scheme, he said.

According to the Act, encroachment of government land is a cognisable offence and it attracts a punishment of imprisonment for a year and a fine of Rs. 5,000.

Encroachment cases

Mr. Bidari said since the Act was promulgated, the police had registered 408 cases in regard to the encroachment of 1,716 acres of government land in the jurisdiction of 13 police stations in Bangalore district.

The police arrested 1,133 people and identified 474 other accused.

Charge sheets had been filed in 304 of these cases, he said.

The cases were registered in Rajanukunte, Chikkajala, Nelamangala, Tavarekere, Thalaghatapura, Bidadi, Hoskote, Sarjapur, Hebbugodi, Attibele, Bannerghatta and Anekal police stations.

The highest number of cases, 74, was registered in the Nelamangala police station, Mr. Bidari said.