In a significant move, the Karnataka government has established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into claims of widespread encroachment of government and public lands by the Art of Living Foundation and its related entities in and around Kaggalipura village in Bengaluru South taluk. The SIT, as per the government order, will focus on Survey No. 46 of Kaggalipura village and adjacent areas, including Agara and G.M. Palya villages. The investigation will encompass entities like the Art of Living Foundation, Ved Vignan Maha Vidya Peeth, and others mentioned in the order.
The government’s directive comes after reports submitted by the Bengaluru Divisional Commissioner and findings from surveys conducted by the Assistant Director of Land Records (ADLR). It is alleged that over 290 acres of land, comprising government and public utility lands, may have been acquired by the organization and its associates through various means over several years. The SIT’s mandate includes looking into claims of illegal occupation of government lands through lease agreements, transfer of lands granted under specific conditions, encroachment on public utility lands, and construction of unauthorized structures.
Furthermore, an FIR has been lodged against key members of the Art of Living Foundation, including founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and officials of associated organizations. The FIR relates to purported encroachments in specific survey numbers of Kaggalipura village. The government has cited a Karnataka High Court directive from September 2025 instructing authorities to take legal action against encroachers and conduct surveys to identify encroached lands, despite reported resistance during survey attempts.
The government’s order also points out that leased lands, including those in Survey No. 46 and Survey No. 135 of G.M. Palya, have allegedly been occupied beyond the lease periods. Preliminary assessments suggest that around 291 acres and 38 guntas of land are currently controlled by the organization and its affiliates, with claims of lease condition violations and breaches of land laws. The SIT has been tasked with scrutinizing land records, lease deeds, and grant documents, identifying beneficiaries, detecting fraudulent documents, and ensuring compliance with lease conditions.
