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Former Union Minister Bhagwant Khuba Faces ₹25.29 Crore Penalty for Illegal Stone Quarrying, Fails to Pay Dues
Bidar: Former Union Minister and ex-BJP MP Bhagwanth Khuba has been accused of illegal building stone quarrying across more than 8 acres in Wacha village, Chittapur taluk, Kalaburagi district. The district administration has begun recovery proceedings to collect a ₹25.29 crore penalty, treating it as arrears of land revenue under the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, after Khuba repeatedly failed to pay despite multiple notices.
Former Union Minister Bhagwanth Khuba allegedly exceeded his licensed quarrying limits in Wacha village, Chittapur taluk, Kalaburagi district. Although he held a valid Mines and Geology Department (MGD) licence for 2 acres (Survey No. 24/4) from 2014 to 2019, a joint survey revealed he illegally quarried in multiple nearby survey numbers—Sy. Nos. 24/5, 24/3, 24/7, 24/8, 24/10, 24/2, and 23/1—covering about 20,024 sq. metres and extracting 7,19,691 metric tonnes of stone.
The MGD found this to be a blatant violation of the Karnataka Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1994, and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, and imposed a fivefold penalty of ₹25.29 crore through an order dated April 18, 2024. Despite repeated notices on April 18, 2024, December 31, 2024, and January 24, 2025, Khuba failed to pay.
As a result, the MGD filed a private complaint against him under Section 223 of the BNSS before the Civil Judge and JMFC, Chittapur, seeking legal recovery of the penalty. After his continued non-payment, a private complaint was filed before the Civil Judge and JMFC, Chittapur, and the Deputy Commissioner directed revenue recovery proceedings, including seizure of properties.
The case stems from a complaint filed by Sanjeevakumara, on which Upa Lokayukta Justice B. Veerappa took action. The MGD has now given an undertaking to the Upa Lokayukta to recover the penalty within three months and submit a compliance report.