9 arrested in Bengaluru for forging records to grab ₹100 crore Trust land
Synopsis
Nine people — including two Deputy Tahsildars and two Revenue Inspectors — were arrested in Bengaluru for allegedly forging a fake family tree, death certificates, and grant records dating to 1960–61 to grab six acres of ₹100 crore land from a powerful religious-educational trust. Investigators suspect the same forged documents may have been used to target other plots as well.
Key Takeaways
Kengeri Police arrested 9 persons on 14 July 2026 for allegedly forging revenue records to grab 6 acres of land worth over ₹100 crore .
The land belongs to the Sri Adichunchanagiri Shikshana Trust in Kambipura village, Bengaluru South Taluk .
Among those arrested are Deputy Tahsildars Deepak and M.P.
Ravi , Revenue Inspectors Kiran Kumar and Arun Kumar , and Village Administrative Officer Satish Kumar .
Accused allegedly fabricated a fake family tree, forged death certificates, and grant certificates to claim the land was allotted under the military quota in 1960–61 .
Several accused, including Naresh Gowda and revenue staff Srikanth , Manjunath , and Raghavendra , remain absconding.
Investigators suspect similar forged documents may have been used to target other land parcels ; probe is ongoing.
Kengeri Police in Bengaluru have arrested nine persons — including serving revenue officials — for allegedly fabricating government documents to illegally seize six acres of land worth over ₹100 crore belonging to the Sri Adichunchanagiri Shikshana Trust in Kambipura village. The arrests were confirmed by Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-East) Anita Haddannavar on Tuesday, 14 July 2026.
Who Was Arrested
The nine accused identified by police are Francis, Arogyaswamy, Srinivas, Narendra Kumar, Josephine, Deputy Tahsildars Deepak and M.P. Ravi, Revenue Inspectors Kiran Kumar and Arun Kumar, and Village Administrative Officer Satish Kumar. The presence of revenue officials among the arrested points to an alleged insider operation within the state's land records machinery.
Several other accused remain at large, including Naresh Gowda, who allegedly assisted in preparing the forged documents, and revenue department staff Srikanth, Manjunath, and Raghavendra. Police are actively pursuing the absconders.
How the Alleged Fraud Was Executed
According to investigators, the conspiracy was allegedly orchestrated by Francis, who reportedly colluded with revenue officials and other individuals to fabricate a false ownership trail. The accused allegedly created a fake family tree, forged death certificates, fabricated grant certificates, and manipulated other revenue records to falsely assert that the disputed land had originally been allotted to one Arogyaswamy bin Antony under the military quota during 1960–61.
Using these allegedly forged documents, the accused reportedly secured illegal mutation of land records and attempted to take physical possession of a portion of the Trust's property. The targeted land — Survey No. 43 of Kambipura village in Kengeri Hobli, Bengaluru South Taluk — is part of a larger 45-acre property owned by the Trust.
The Complaint and Legal Action
The case was registered after the Secretary of the Sri Adichunchanagiri Shikshana Trust filed a complaint at Kumbalagodu Police Station on 10 June 2026. Police subsequently registered a criminal case under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including Sections 318(4), 319(2), 336(2), 336(3), 329(3), 340(2), and 351(2).
Wider Conspiracy Suspected
Investigators suspect the accused may not have limited their activities to this single plot. According to police, additional evidence gathered during the probe indicates that similar forged revenue documents may have been used to target other parcels of land as well. Further investigation is underway to identify additional beneficiaries of the alleged conspiracy and recover more fabricated records.
This comes amid growing concern in Karnataka over land-record fraud involving collusion between private parties and government officials — a pattern that has surfaced in multiple districts in recent years.
About the Adichunchanagiri Institution
The Sri Adichunchanagiri Mahasamsthana Math is one of Karnataka's most prominent religious and educational institutions, headquartered at Adichunchanagiri in Mandya district. The institution, headed by Jagadguru Nirmalanandanatha Mahaswamiji, runs an extensive network of schools, colleges, and social welfare programmes across the state, making the alleged land grab particularly significant.
Point of View
Exploiting the very officials entrusted with protecting land records. Karnataka has seen a string of revenue-department fraud cases, yet systemic reforms to digitise and audit mutation trails remain incomplete. When a prominent religious institution with the resources to file a formal complaint can be targeted, the exposure for ordinary landowners — who lack the same legal and institutional access — is far greater. The investigation's indication of wider forged-document use should prompt a broader audit of recent mutations in Bengaluru South Taluk, not just this single case.
NationPress
14 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has been arrested in the Adichunchanagiri Trust land grab case?
Nine persons were arrested, including Deputy Tahsildars Deepak and M.P. Ravi, Revenue Inspectors Kiran Kumar and Arun Kumar, Village Administrative Officer Satish Kumar, and private individuals Francis, Arogyaswamy, Srinivas, Narendra Kumar, and Josephine. Several others, including Naresh Gowda and revenue staff Srikanth, Manjunath, and Raghavendra, remain absconding.
Which land was targeted in the alleged fraud?
The targeted property is six acres of a larger 45-acre plot in Survey No. 43 of Kambipura village, Kengeri Hobli, Bengaluru South Taluk, belonging to the Sri Adichunchanagiri Shikshana Trust. The six acres are valued at over ₹100 crore.
How did the accused allegedly carry out the land fraud?
According to investigators, the accused fabricated a fake family tree, forged death certificates, and fake grant certificates to falsely claim the land had been allotted to one Arogyaswamy bin Antony under the military quota during 1960–61. They then allegedly used these documents to secure illegal mutation of land records and attempted to take possession of the property.
Under what charges have the accused been booked?
The accused have been charged under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including Sections 318(4), 319(2), 336(2), 336(3), 329(3), 340(2), and 351(2), relating to forgery and cheating offences.
What is the Sri Adichunchanagiri Mahasamsthana Math?
It is one of Karnataka's most influential religious and educational institutions, headquartered at Adichunchanagiri in Mandya district, and headed by Jagadguru Nirmalanandanatha Mahaswamiji. It operates an extensive network of schools, colleges, and social welfare initiatives across the state.
