Kumaraswamy alleges illegal land deals by Shivakumar in BMIC project area

Union Industries Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Tuesday accused Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and members of his family of illegally acquiring land parcels around Bengaluru that had been notified for the Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor Project (BMICP), promoted by Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE).

The allegation centres on Mr. Shivakumar's tenure as Urban Development Minister and Chairman of the BMICP Authority in 2004. Mr. Kumaraswamy claimed that the original framework agreement was modified to re-allocate land within the project, particularly parcels close to Bengaluru, and that the Chief Minister benefited from these changes.

To support his claims, the Union Minister released 26 Records of Rights, Tenancy and Crops (RTC), which he said show ownership of land in the names of Mr. Shivakumar, his parents Gowramma and the late D.K. Kempegowda, his daughter Abharana, and his brother, former MP D.K. Suresh. The parcels are located in B.M. Kaval near Kengeri, within the area notified by the State government for the project.

According to Mr. Kumaraswamy, these lands were acquired after NICE issued no objection certificates to the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB), stating that the land was no longer required for the project. "Once land is notified it becomes a government property," he said.

The Union Minister alleged that NICE has issued 420 such NOCs so far, and estimated that about 500 acres of notified project land had been given away through them. He claimed that Mr. Shivakumar and his family acquired 150 to 200 acres in the notified area, and pinpointed about 22 acres held by the Chief Minister and his relatives. He further alleged that Mr. Shivakumar's wealth grew from ₹4 crore in 2003 to ₹1,413 crore in 2023, attributing the rise mainly to these deals.

"Ever since Mr. Shivakumar became the Chairman of BMICPA by influencing the then Chief Minister (the late S.M. Krishna), the deviations started. Both Mr. Shivakumar and NICE promoter Ashok Kheny are involved," he alleged. He also said the Karnataka High Court had described the illegal land deals as a fraud on statute and the Constitution, with State authorities allegedly complicit.

Responding to Mr. Shivakumar's repeated suggestion that his allegations stem from jealousy, Mr. Kumaraswamy said, "If the Chief Minister takes action on the fraud, I will felicitate him. If he does not have the ability to take action and stop the loot, let him resign." He sought criminal action against Mr. Kheny and urged authorities to impound his passport and arrest him over the alleged fraud, which he estimated at ₹3 lakh crore.

On future steps, the Union Minister said, "We are trying to mobilise the farmers, who have not been compensated for nearly 30 years. We will also initiate legal action and seek investigation through judicial intervention. I am ready for an open discussion too."