Bengaluru, Mar 11 (Reporter) A criminal case has been registered against Sam Pitroda, a close associate of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, along with others, under the Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition Act, 2011. The case has been filed by NR Ramesh, former leader of the ruling party, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and President of Anti-Corruption Forum before the Land Grabbing Prohibition Special Court on Monday. The case pertains to alleged illegal possession of 12.35 acres of reserved forest land in Bengaluru. Ramesh, in his complaint, alleges that the land in question, located at Jarakabande Kaval in Yelahanka, has a government valuation exceeding Rs 150 crore and a market value over Rs 300 crore. He also claimed that the accused continued to occupy the land illegally since 2011, even after the lease expired. Ramesh alleged that the accused are allegedly earning Rs 5–6 crore annually by cultivating and selling rare medicinal plants. The I-AIM Ayurvedic hospital is being operated illegally on the reserved forest land. "A criminal case has been filed against Sam Pitroda and others under the Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition Act, 2011." "The accused have illegally retained possession of 12.35 acres of reserved forest land since 2011. The land, valued at over Rs 150 crore by the government and Rs 300 crore in the market, continues to be misused. They are earning an illegal income of Rs 5–6 crore annually from medicinal plant cultivation and product sales," the complaint reads. Senior officials, including retired IAS officer Javed Akhtar, former Additional Chief Secretary of Karnataka’s Forest and Environment Department, along with forest department officers RK Singh, Sanjay Mohan, N Ravindra Kumar, and SS Ravishankar, are also accused. On February 24, complaints with supporting documents were submitted to Lokayukta and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding the scam. Now, a criminal case has been filed in the Land Grabbing Prohibition Special Court. He served as an advisor to the Telecom Department under Rajiv Gandhi and Manmohan Singh. He was also the former President of the Overseas Congress unit. The case involves a close aide of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, which could have political ramifications. The Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) was registered in Mumbai in 1996. The lease of forest land, initially for five years, was extended for another ten years in 2001 but was not renewed after 2011. "The I-AIM Ayurvedic hospital is operating illegally on reserved forest land. Senior bureaucrats, including a retired IAS officer, are also accused in this massive land scam. Complaints with supporting documents were submitted to Lokayukta and the Enforcement Directorate on February 24. The case involves a close aide of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, raising political concerns. The lease for the land was last renewed in 2001 but was not extended after 2011," the complaint stated. The case is filed under Section 4(2) of the Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition Act, 2011. The legal aspect is critical but might not resonate as strongly with the public as the financial and political angles...////...