The Karnataka government has taken decisive action by suspending five sub-registrars following the uncovering of a massive property registration fraud. The scam, which exploited the state's much-publicised digital e-khata system, led to the illegal registration of properties valued at over Rs 250 crore.
The Scale of the Fraud and Officials Involved
The fraudulent activities spanned a full year, from December 6, 2024, to December 5, 2025, during which 1,332 properties were illicitly registered. The suspended officials are Ravi Sankana Gouda, N Satish Kumar, Sridhar (who served as a first division assistant-in-charge sub-registrar), Girish Chandra, and R Prabhavathi. The Department of Stamps and Registrations has held them accountable for gross misconduct.
Investigations reveal that these officials allegedly misused the official Kaveri 2.0 portal, which is the core platform for property transactions. Their primary failure was to import the mandatory e-khata details from the linked e-swathu software, a critical step designed to prevent fraud. Instead, they processed sale deeds illegally, bypassing essential digital safeguards.
How the Digital Safeguard Was Breached
The e-khata system was introduced with significant fanfare as a digital fortress against property fraud. However, this case exposes serious vulnerabilities. The fraud came to light after a formal complaint was filed by the executive director of the Centre for Smart Governance (CSG), the agency providing technological solutions to state departments.
Perpetrators manipulated the Kaveri 2.0 portal, which has mandated valid e-khata documentation for all property registrations since 2024. They reportedly gained unauthorised access to the Unified Land Management System (ULMS), the database containing comprehensive land records. By hacking the software, they manipulated records to falsely display properties as having valid e-khata certificates under the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj. This digital forgery enabled the completion of illegal registrations.
Investigation and Wider Implications
Following the complaint, the North CEN police registered a cybercrime case against unknown individuals under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Initial findings point to a targeted attack on sub-registrar offices with jurisdiction over rural gram panchayat properties, where most illegal registrations were traced.
Technical analysis has identified specific software bypasses in several offices, including those in Banaswadi, Ulsoor, and Varthur—all located in and around Bengaluru. This incident raises profound questions about the integrity of the digital systems meant to secure land records and protect citizens from fraud. It underscores the challenge of combining technological solutions with human oversight and accountability in governance.
