BENGALURU: In the latest development related to the contentious land at Kogilu, a first information report (FIR) has been registered at the Yelahanka police station against four persons for allegedly collecting money and let families build houses illegally at Kogilu village on Survey Number 99.
Two of the accused are Muni Anjinappa, and Robin, while two others, Waseem Ulla Baig and Vijay, were arrested, said DCP Northeast GK Mithun Kumar.
The FIR was registered based on a complaint filed by Santosh Kaddi, a senior engineer with the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) on January 4.
The complaint mentions that the government land was sold fraudulently and unauthorised construction of houses was facilitated at Fakeer Layout in Kogilu, which is in the Bengaluru North City Corporation limits.
The complaint stated that the land, measuring 14.36 acre, was transferred to the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in 2015. The civic body wanted to put up a bio-methanisation plant, animal rendering unit, sanitary waste unit and waste processing units.
Notice issued to one of the accused
The work order for an integrated waste processing plant was issued in 2023 and while conducting the site inspection, the officials found squatters.
It was then revealed that Vijay, Waseem, Muni Anjinappa, and Robin had allegedly taken money from people and helped them in constructing and maintaining the unauthorised houses. The complaint was based on statements by dwellers that they paid lakhs of rupees to the accused. BWSML said they had sent a notice to Waseem seeking his explanation for facilitating squatters.
But Waseem had told TNIE that he did not receive any notice. BWSML said the accused may have shown the survey numbers of nearby areas and passed on Kogilu’s waste dump sites to the poor dwellers. “A thorough investigation will reveal whether there is a larger land-grabbing network behind this,” said an official.