Former JD(S) MLA K S Lingesh Arrested in Karnataka Land Irregularity Case Worth Rs 750 Crore
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Karnataka Police has arrested former Janata Dal (Secular) MLA K S Lingesh and 10 others, including former tahsildars, in connection with an alleged land irregularity in Hassan district. The accused are suspected of illegally regularising approximately 2,750 acres of government land, valued at over Rs 750 crore, in favour of 1,430 bogus beneficiaries.
Lingesh, 66, who previously served as the MLA for Belur and chaired the Committee for Regularisation of Unauthorised Occupation (Bagair Hukum Saguvali Samithi) in Belur taluk, was taken into custody on June 19. The co-accused include former government officials who allegedly facilitated the irregular regularisation. All have been remanded to police custody, according to CID sources.
The CID took over the investigation after a special court for cases against elected representatives ordered an FIR in 2023. The order followed a private complaint filed by activist K C Rajanna, who used documents obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act to expose the alleged irregularities. The case pertains to land in Belur, approximately 250 km from Bengaluru.
The arrest marks a significant step in the investigation into what is alleged to be one of the largest land frauds in Karnataka. Further details are awaited as the CID continues its probe.
