Six revenue officials among 11 arrested for Rs 100 crore land fraud in Bengaluru

Bengaluru police have arrested 11 people, including six revenue department officials, for their alleged involvement in a land fraud worth an estimated Rs 100 crore. The arrests come after a months-long investigation into a racket that used forged documents to illegally transfer government land to private individuals.

The accused include a tehsildar, a deputy tehsildar, and four village accountants. The other five arrested are private individuals suspected of acting as brokers and beneficiaries. All 11 were produced before a local court on Wednesday and remanded to judicial custody.

The modus operandi

According to police sources, the scam involved government land located in several villages on the outskirts of Bengaluru. The accused allegedly created fake land records, including mutation entries and sale deeds, to show that the land belonged to private parties. These forged documents were then used to sell the plots to unsuspecting buyers.

The revenue officials are accused of using their access to official records to legitimise the fraud. They allegedly signed off on the forged documents and entered fake transactions into the government database. The buyers, many of whom were looking to invest in real estate, ended up paying crores for land that was never legally theirs.

How the scam was uncovered

The fraud came to light when a genuine landowner approached the Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner's office to verify his property. Officials discovered that his land had already been "sold" to multiple people through fake documents. A preliminary inquiry revealed a chain of forged transactions stretching back several years.

Based on the complaint, the Bengaluru police's economic offences wing registered a case and began tracking the trail of documents. Investigators found that the accused had targeted prime government land near upcoming infrastructure projects, where property values were rising rapidly.

Investigation and arrests

During the investigation, police seized a large number of forged documents, rubber stamps, and digital records. Officials say the racket was well-organised and involved multiple layers of forgery. The arrested private individuals are believed to have acted as middlemen, finding buyers and coordinating with the revenue officials.

"The accused used sophisticated methods to create fake records that were almost indistinguishable from genuine ones," a senior police officer said. "We are now examining whether more officials or agents were involved." The officer added that the total value of the fraud could be higher as the probe widens.

Legal proceedings and next steps

The 11 accused have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy, and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The court has sent them to judicial custody while police continue to gather evidence.

Authorities are also investigating whether the same network was involved in similar frauds in other parts of the district. Officials have urged anyone who may have purchased land in the affected areas to verify their documents with the revenue department.

What to watch: The investigation is expected to expand as police examine the role of other revenue officials and private agents. More arrests are likely in the coming days, and the government may order a departmental inquiry into the accused officials.