Manipal University fined Rs 1,123 crore

Bengaluru: The Revenue department has decided to give post facto approval to the changes in the land usage made by the Manipal University, Udupi in the 109.38 acres of land sanctioned by the state government for academic purposes.

According to a notification issued by the Revenue Department, based on the recommendation of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Udupi, post facto approval will be sanctioned after collecting a fine of Rs 1,123 crores.

According to the Karnataka gazette dated September 10, 2015, in 1953 and 1958, the state government sanctioned a total 266.27 acres of land to the institute for various academic purposes including college building, quarter for teachers/ lecturers/ staff/ garden/ ground/ engineering college building/ work shops etc.

In the year 1965, land use guidelines were modified with the approval of then DC. Nearly three and half decades later, based on the findings that land use guidelines were violated in few stretches of land sanctioned, the state government issued orders cancelling these land grants.

Manipal University immediately approached the High Court contending that the University did not violate the guidelines, but merely re-arranged it. The High Court accepted the argument and this was later upheld by the Apex court. But in a twist, in his letter dated May 14, 2015, Udupi’s Deputy Commissioner Dr Vishal R. informed the state government that out of 266.27 acres of land allotted to the Manipal University, government guidelines were violated in 109.38 acres of land which was not included in the court judgment.

In his letter to the state government, the DC also proposed either reclaiming the land ownership rights or imposing penalty of three folds of market value and sanctioning post facto approval for changes in the land usage. The penalty amount was fixed at Rs 1,123 crores.

The state revenue department has now decided to issue post facto approval. According to the gazette notification dated, September 10, 2015, the approval will be issued by the Udupi district administration after collecting the fine amount.