An FIR was filed in Karnataka on Monday against Rahul Gandhi’s close aide and Indian Overseas Congress president Sam Pitroda. His NGO Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Tradition (FRLHT) is accused of encroaching forest department land. On the complaint of BJP, a case has been filed against Pitroda, a partner of his NGO, 4 forest department officers and a retired IAS officer. BJP leader and Anti Bangalore Corruption Forum president Ramesh NR had complained about the matter to ED and Lokayukta on February 24. After investigation, the case has been filed today. After the complaint was filed, Pitroda wrote on X on February 27 – I do not have any land, house or shares in India. While working with Rajiv Gandhi in the 1980s and with Dr. Manmohan Singh from 2004 to 2014, I never took any salary. In my 83 years of life, I have neither given nor taken bribe in India or any other country. Lease ended 14 years ago, but did not vacate
Sam Pitroda registered an organization FRLHT in Mumbai in 1996. In the same year, he took 5 hectares (12.35 acres) of forest land on lease from the Forest Department of Karnataka at Jarkabande Kaval near Yelahanka for 5 years. In 2001, this lease was extended for 10 years. The lease ended in 2011. Pitroda and his associates are still running a hospital on this land. Apart from this, a building has also been constructed on this land of the Forest Department without permission. The cost of the land is more than Rs 150 crore. Name of a retired IAS officer also in FIR
The people against whom case has been registered include Sam Pitroda, his NGO partner Darshan Shankar, retired IAS Javed Akhtar from Forest Department, Principal Chief Forest Conservators RK Singh and Sanjay Mohan, Deputy Forest Conservators of Bengaluru Urban Division N Ravindra Kumar and SS Ravishankar. Land was leased for research
BJP leader Ramesh said that FRLHT Organization had requested Karnataka State Forest Department to lease the reserve forest area for conservation and research of medicinal herbs. The department had leased 12.35 acres of reserved forest land in B Block in Jarkabande Kaval near Yelahanka in Bengaluru in 1996. This lease expired on 2 December 2011. It was not extended further. When the lease expired, the land should have been returned to the Forest Department. Ramesh alleges that the Forest Department officials did not make any effort to take back this land in the last 14 years. Had to resign from the post of Overseas Congress President due to controversial statements
Sam Pitroda has been giving many controversial statements before this as well. During the Lok Sabha elections, in an interview to the English newspaper The Statesman, he said – People from the East in India look Chinese and those from the South look African. There was a lot of controversy over this. The BJP had created a lot of ruckus over this. However, the Congress distanced itself from this statement of Pitroda. The Congress said that this definition of India’s diversity is not acceptable, it is wrong. After this, on May 8, 2024, he had to resign from the post of President of the Indian Overseas Congress. However, on June 26, Pitroda was again appointed to the same post. Pitroda had said – China is not India’s enemy
Sam Pitroda, close to Rahul Gandhi, had said on February 18 – India should stop considering China as its enemy. The threat from China is often exaggerated. However, the Congress distanced itself from Sam Pitroda’s statement. Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said- Sam Pitroda’s views on China are not the views of Congress. Read full news… ———————————————— Read these news related to Sam Pitroda too… How Sam became Odisha’s Satyanarayan, embarrassed Congress with these controversial statements Sam Pitroda was born on 17 November 1942 in a small village Titlagarh in Bolangir district of Odisha. His family was Gujarati. His initial name is Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda. Sam’s grandfather used to work as a carpenter and blacksmith. Read full news… Sam said- Rahul Gandhi is more intelligent than his father Rajiv, he has all the qualities to become a Prime Minister His son Rahul Gandhi is more intelligent than Rajiv Gandhi. Apart from being intellectual, he is also a better strategist. Rajiv was a little more hardworking. Both have the same DNA. Both leaders are the patrons of Idea of India. Read full news…
