FIR filed against 31 in e-Khata scam
BENGALURU: The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) revenue division has uncovered a major property documentation racket, leading the Halasuru Gate police to register a First Information Report (FIR) against 31 individuals, including Assistant Commissioner Basavaraj N. Maghi, over the illegal issuance of electronic property records (e-Khatas).
The legal action stems from an official complaint filed by Munish Moudgil, the GBA’s Special Commissioner for Revenue. Investigators allege that administrative login credentials and special regulatory provisions were systematically manipulated to issue unauthorized e-Khatas to 98 ineligible properties across the K.R. Puram and Horamavu zones.
A bank facility misused
At the center of the investigation is the alleged misuse of a statutory facility originally established under the Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act. Under normal legal frameworks, this provision allows financial institutions to secure e-Khatas when taking possession of and auctioning properties tied to defaulted loans.
According to the police complaint, however, certain municipal officials conspired with private developers and property owners between January 29 and June 19, 2026, to bypass statutory safeguards. Instead of legitimate SARFAESI auction certificates or bank repossession orders, officials allegedly accepted routine sale deeds and Joint Development Agreements (JDAs) uploaded through specialized bank portals to unlawfully clear title records for unauthorized constructions.
The FIR specifically names Assistant Commissioner Basavaraj Maghi, who served as the in-charge revenue official for the K.R. Puram division during the period in question, alleging that the fraudulent e-Khatas were authorized using his official login credentials. Alongside Maghi, 30 other individuals, including private applicants and intermediaries, have been implicated.
Law enforcement agencies have registered the case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), incorporating severe legal charges relating to criminal conspiracy, cheating, document forgery, and the fraudulent presentation of fabricated records as genuine.
The unfolding scandal has triggered wider administrative scrutiny within urban civic bodies. Prior to the police filing, formal recommendations had already been initiated to suspend both Basavaraj Maghi and Lokamata D.S., Assistant Commissioner of the Kengeri division, pending departmental inquiries. Specialized cyber and economic offense units are currently examining system audit logs to determine the full extent of the conspiracy and whether additional municipal staff or external entities facilitated the illegal document issuances.
