BJP leader NR Ramesh has filed a case against controversial Congress leader Sam Pitroda accusing him of illegally encroaching on 12.35 acres of reserve forest land since 1991 in Yelahanka, Bengaluru.
The Karnataka BJP leader submitted a complaint to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Lokayukta, saying that the head of the Congress party’s overseas unit misused the forest land leased for medicinal research. In his complaint, NR Ramesh said that Sam Pitroda failed to renew the lease after 2011. The BJP leader said that Pitroda benefited from the illegally occupied land.
NR Ramesh said that Sam Pitroda got the lease of the forest land in question on the pretext of medicinal research, however, he did not renew the lease after 2011, but continued using the land for pharmaceutical activities, allegedly earning illegal profits to the tune of Rs 5 to 6 crores annually.
I have filed a complaint against Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitrod, AKA @sampitroda , President of the Overseas Congress, and senior officials of the Karnataka Forest Department for the illegal occupation of 12.35 acres of Reserve Forest land in Jarakabande Kaval, Yelahanka,… pic.twitter.com/mpqJrSHfe6
— Ramesh N R (@RameshNR_BJP) February 24, 2025
Alongside Sam Pitroda, the complaint names five others including former and current IAS and IFS officers: Javed Akhtar, R K Singh, Sanjay Mohan, N Ravindran Kumar, and S S Ravishankar. The BJP leader accused them of facilitating the illegal encroachment.
In his complaint, NR Ramesh said that Sam Pitroda registered the Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) in Mumbai in 1991. Later, the Overseas Congress leader secured the lease of 12.35 acres of forest land in Jarakabande Kaval near Yelahanka, Bengaluru. This came after he requested the Karnataka State Forest Department to lease the land for five years for “Conservation of Medicinal Herbal Plants & Research.”
This lease was approved by both, the Karnataka State Forest Department as well as the Union Ministry of Forest, Ecology, and Environment. In 2001, the lease was extended for ten years. However, the lease was not renewed after that but the occupation of the land and its alleged use in pharmaceutical activities continued making FRLHT’s continued occupation of the land illegal and profits earned unauthorised.
The BJP leader said that when the State Forest Department tried to reclaim their land now following alleged illegal occupation of Sam Pitroda, the Congress leader used his political influence to avert any action. The land was allegedly being used for private pharmaceutical profiteering rather than its intended purpose of conservation and research.
While Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar refused to comment on the matter without knowing complete details, BJP’s NR Ramesh told Indian Express that the land in question was not only illegally occupied by Pitroda despite the lease’s expiry, but also being used to generate revenues instead of the intended purpose of conservation and research.
The BJP leader further stated that the government guidance value of the land in question is Rs 150 crore while its market value is Rs 600 crore. He added that Pitroda also constructed a lavish house and a private research centre at the alleged illegally encroached forest land.
“In 2001, the lease was extended for 10 more years, expiring in December 2011. However, no further renewal was granted, rendering FRLHT’s continued possession of the land illegal. The complaint alleges that despite the expiry, the land was used for commercial pharmaceutical activities rather than conservation and research, leading to significant financial gains without legal authorisation. Besides the renewal of the land, he has constructed a lavish residence and a private research centre. The government has not benefited in any way,” Ramesh said.
