FIR against Embassy over alleged illegal tree felling at Kadugodi Forest
Bengaluru
Fresh legal action has been initiated in the long-running case of alleged illegal tree felling at the Kadugodi forest area in east Bengaluru, with the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Forest Cell registering a new First Information Report (FIR) against the Embassy East Business Park Pvt. Ltd. The company is part of the Embassy Group.
Activists describe the situation as one of “wholesale lawlessness”, citing large-scale violations of the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, 1976, over nearly two decades.
According to official records and forest department sources, the 78-acre tract in Kadugodi was densely wooded. A survey conducted in 2006–07 recorded at least 400 fully grown trees in the area, excluding hundreds of smaller trees, saplings and seedlings.
Under the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, even woody plants with a trunk diameter of 5.5 cm and a height of one metre qualify as trees, indicating that the actual tree population was significantly higher. Local residents have consistently maintained that the land was thickly forested, with many old, mature trees often referred to as “grandmother trees”.
The first instance of illegal tree felling in the area was detected in 2007, when an FIR was registered against Concord India Private Limited. At the time, the authorities imposed a penalty of ₹1 lakh, following which tree cutting reportedly stopped for a period.
However, the issue resurfaced in 2020, when the then Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Forest Cell granted permission for the felling of 42 trees. Forest officials now allege that this permission was deliberately structured to bypass statutory safeguards, as felling more than 50 trees requires public advertisement and a mandatory public hearing. By limiting the permission to 42 trees, the process allegedly circumvented public scrutiny.
Using this permission, hundreds of trees are said to have been felled between 2022 and 2025, far exceeding the approved number. Forest authorities state that no department had granted approval for any additional tree cutting beyond the original 42 trees.
Another serious violation flagged by officials relates to the transport of timber. Sources in the GBA Forest Cell say no permits were obtained for transporting the felled wood, making the movement of timber illegal under forest and transit regulations.
The latest FIR, filed by the GBA Forest Cell, specifically pertains to the felling of 110 trees and names the Embassy Group as the accused. Officials indicated that further investigation is underway to ascertain the total extent of environmental damage, fix responsibility, and examine the role of officials, if any, in allowing the alleged violations to continue unchecked.
Senior forest officials, including the Deputy Conservator of Forests and the Range Forest Officer, are overseeing the probe. Environmental activists and local residents have demanded stringent action, restoration of the forest land, and accountability for what they term systematic destruction of urban green cover.
The case is expected to intensify scrutiny of tree-felling permissions and enforcement mechanisms in Bengaluru, a city already grappling with rapid urbanisation and shrinking forest spaces.