Bengaluru: The Special Court for People’s Representatives in Bengaluru has reserved its verdict to August 12 in connection with a private complaint filed against senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, his family members including Radhakrishna, Radhabai Kharge, Rahul Kharge, Priyank Kharge, and Karnataka Minister MB Patil. The case pertains to alleged irregularities in land allotments made by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) to the Siddharth Vihar Trust, associated with the Kharge family.

The complaint, filed by Vijayraghav Marathe, alleges that the Siddharth Vihar Trust secured five acres of land from KIADB in the Aerospace Park in Devanahalli under the Civic Amenities (CA) category, despite lacking any relevant experience in aerospace or research fields. The land was reportedly granted just two days after the trust submitted its application, raising concerns about undue haste and favoritism.

Additionally, in 2014, the trust allegedly acquired two acres of BDA land in BTM 4th Stage at a 50% subsidized rate and later sublet it. The complainant claims that the land was returned only after public scrutiny intensified. Despite a complaint being filed with the Lokayukta police, no further action was reportedly taken.

Senior advocate Lakshmi Iyengar argued on behalf of the complainant. After hearing the case, the court decided to reserve its order. The controversy had earlier reached Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot, who reportedly sought legal advice on the matter.

Experts had expressed concerns over the speed of the land allotment, questioning the legitimacy of such rapid processing. Amid growing political pressure, Rahul Kharge wrote to KIADB stating that the land was originally intended for skill development training. However, given the controversy, the trust was voluntarily surrendering the land to avoid unnecessary disputes.