Sat Jan 17 16:16:01 UTC 2026: Headline: FIR Filed Against Embassy Group for Illegal Tree Felling in Kadugodi Reserve Forest

The Story:
The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Forest Cell has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the Embassy Group for the illegal felling of 110 trees in the Kadugodi Reserve Forest area. This is the second instance of illegal tree felling in the same forest patch since 2007. The investigation reveals that the felling occurred between 2022 and 2025, exceeding the number of trees authorized by a prior permit issued in 2020 by the BBMP Forest Cell for only 42 trees. Concerns have also been raised regarding the circumvention of statutory safeguards, including public advertisement and hearing proposals.

The incident comes amid a broader dispute over the ownership and status of the Kadugodi forest land. The Embassy Group commenced work on an IT park on 78.54 acres of the land shortly after the Forest Department decided to appeal to the Supreme Court to reclaim 449 acres of the forest land, valued at over ₹22,000 crore. The Embassy Group has not provided any comments on the matter.

Key Points:

  • An FIR has been filed against the Embassy Group by the GBA Forest Cell.
  • The FIR relates to the illegal felling of 110 trees in the Kadugodi Reserve Forest.
  • A previous case of illegal tree felling occurred in 2007 involving Concord India Private Ltd.
  • In 2020, the BBMP Forest Cell issued a permit for the felling of 42 trees, allegedly circumventing statutory safeguards.
  • The Embassy Group began work on an IT park on a portion of the disputed land after the Forest Department initiated legal action to reclaim a much larger area of the forest.

Key Takeaways:

  • Environmental regulations and safeguards in Bengaluru appear to be vulnerable to circumvention, as evidenced by the alleged irregularities in the issuance of tree felling permits.
  • The conflict between development projects and environmental conservation efforts remains a significant issue in the region.
  • The ongoing legal battle over the Kadugodi forest land highlights the complexities of land ownership and resource management.

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