Claim of residing at now-demolished houses in Kogilu for 28 years ‘factually incorrect’: Karnataka

The State Government on January 7 informed the High Court of Karnataka that it has satellite images to show when each of the houses at the illegally formed Fakir and Wasim colonies were built on government land in Kogilu Layout, in north Bengaluru, while rejecting the claim of some residents that they had been residing in the now-demolished houses from the past 28 years.

State Advocate General K. Shashi Kiran Shetty made these submissions before a division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Poonacha during the hearing of a PIL petition filed by Zaiba Tabassum (28), Rehana (25), and Areefa Begaum (49), who were among the persons evicted from the two colonies.

When the bench pointed out that the petitioners claim that they were residing in these colonies for the past 28 years, the A-G said that such a claim is ‘factually incorrect’ while stating that the government has satellite images to show when the houses, which were recently demolished, were constructed.

Denying the claim of the petitioners that they were evicted without following the due process of law and the guidelines issued by the apex court on eviction, the A-G said that the apex court’s judgment is not applicable to the present case while also pointing out that the land on which the petitioners had built houses was not a slum but was initially used for quarrying and later as landfill for garbage from Bengaluru.

On the bench’s query about providing temporary shelter to the displaced families, the A-G said that the displaced families were being accommodated in temporary rehabilitation centres in three different areas till further orders to be passed by the court in this petition.

As petitioners’ counsel told that court that around 300 displaced families comprising around 3,000 persons need food and blankets, the A-G said that food is being supplied to them through Indira Canteen, and other basis amenities will also be provided.

The bench adjourned further hearing till January 22 while directing the government of Karnataka to file its response to the petition within one week, and asking the petitioners to file their reply to the government’s response.

The petitioners have sought directions from the court to declare that the action of demolition of their houses was in violation of the law, and direct the government to either reconstruct houses for them in the same land or provide equivalent alternate housing to restore the lives of the affected persons. They have also sought a survey to identify all persons affected due to demolition of houses in the two colonies and their eligibility for rehabilitation, besides adequate compensation by declaring that the action of demolition was illegal.

On December 20, 2025, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) had demolished several houses built on the site of the old quarry. The authorities had claimed that certain anti-social elements had encroached on this land and allowed families of the petitioners and others to put up sheds and reside there by providing them some documents.