Karnataka govt issues ordinance to assert control over Bengaluru palace land
Bengaluru, Jan 29 (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued an ordinance to assert its rights over the expansive Bangalore Palace grounds, which spans 472 acres and 16 guntas near Mehkri Circle here.
The move follows the state cabinet's decision on January 24 to reject the issuance of Transferable Development Rights (TDR) to the Mysuru royal family for acquiring nearly 16 acres of land within the palace grounds.
According to the state government, granting TDR for the Bangalore Palace grounds would not be in the best interests of the state.
The cabinet had expressed concerns that paying Rs 3,014 crore to acquire 16 acres of land for the development of just two kilometers of road would not be economically beneficial for the state.
The ordinance aims to regulate and determine the utilisation of the land under the Bangalore Palace (Acquisition and Transfer) Act, 1996, which vests ownership of the land with Karnataka. The total value of the entire 472-acre property has been assessed at Rs 11 crore as per the provisions of the Act.
“The constitutional validity of the Bangalore Palace Act has been upheld by the Karnataka High Court and there is no stay on the operation of the Bangalore Palace (Acquisition and Transfer) Act, 1996 (Karnataka Act 18 of 1996) by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the appeal,” the state government said.
It noted that the Supreme Court directive, on December 10, 2024, in a contempt case to grant transferable development rights in accordance with the prevailing guidance value of the adjoining areas will gravely impact the finances of the state.
The Civil Appeals relating to the constitutional validity of the Bangalore Palace (Acquisition and Transfer) Act, 1996 (Karnataka Act 18 of 1996) are pending consideration of the Apex Court and the grant of the transferable development rights will be an irreversible process, which will have a severe ramification on the state, the ordinance read.
“For the purpose of any infrastructure project, the State Government is empowered to utilise any portion of the Bangalore Palace, which is covered by section 4 of the Bangalore Palace (Acquisition and Transfer) Act, 1996 (Karnataka Act 18 of 1996),” it added.
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SC grants bail to filmmaker Vikram Bhatt in cheating case
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday granted bail to filmmaker Vikram Bhatt in a multi-crore rupees cheating case lodged in Rajasthan.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi also regularised the interim bail granted earlier to Bhatt's wife Shwetambari Bhatt in the case.
Shwetambari Bhatt was granted interim bail on February 13.
Earlier on January 31, the Rajasthan High Court had rejected their bail applications in the cheating case.
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They were arrested in Mumbai and brought to Udaipur in December last year.
While granting bail to both, the top court asked the parties to make efforts for arriving at an amicable solution through mediation.
Complainant Ajay Murdia, founder of Indira IVF and Fertility Centre and a resident of Udaipur, has alleged in his complaint that Bhatt and his wife induced him to invest over Rs 30 crore in a biopic of his late wife, promising high returns.
Vikram Bhatt was arrested after Murdia filed a complaint of cheating and criminal breach of trust against the filmmaker, his wife and others, alleging that funds taken in the name of a film project were misappropriated.
The complaint has alleged that funds to the tune of Rs 30 crore were misappropriated. The complaint alleged that the Bhatts prepared fake bills under various names and got money transferred from the complainant.
The money was supposed to be for making films for the complainant, but was allegedly deposited into the accused's own accounts and used by them.
Apart from Vikram and his wife, Udaipur-based Dinesh Kataria and Bhatt's manager, Mehboob Ansari, were also arrested by Rajasthan Police on December 7, 2025.
