Producer of Yash’s ‘Toxic’ Charged In Bengaluru Illegal Tree Cutting Case
Bengaluru, Karnataka: A case has been registered against the producer of the Kannada film Toxic, starring Yash from KGF fame, for alleged illegal tree cutting during the filming of the movie in Bengaluru’s Peenya Plantation. Two others have also been charged in the case.
Following the orders of a magistrate court, the Karnataka Forest Department registered an FIR against KVN Mastermind Creations, the General Manager of Canara Bank, and the General Manager of Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) under the Karnataka Forest Act 1963.
Also Read | Actor Yash’s Toxic And Forest Violations: The Controversy Explained
The illegal tree cutting controversy erupted when state Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre accused a central public sector firm, HMT Limited, of illegally occupying, leasing out, and selling forest land to private individuals and government entities.
Khandre claimed that over 559 acres of land in Bengaluru’s Peenya Plantations 1 and 2 was illegally donated to HMT in the 1960s without denotifying the land, originally declared as a reserved forest in a gazette notification.
The minister accused HMT of encouraging non-forestry activities in the land, including leasing the land to the makers of Toxic. Shooting for the Yash film began in August and is reportedly being completed in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, HMT claimed that the plot belonged to Canara Bank. The producers stated that the shooting was done on private property with all necessary permissions taken.
Khandre asked the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to conduct an inquiry in the matter. The Bengaluru civic body approached a court, which ordered the registration of an FIR against the producer and the organisations that had leased out the land.
Also Read | Villagers Clash With Police Over Tree-Felling In Chhattisgarh’s Hasdeo Forests
The forest minister has ordered disciplinary action against officials who granted permission for the cutting of trees.
Directed by Geetu Mohandas, Toxic also stars Huma Qureshi and Akshay Oberoi. The film is expected to hit theatres in April next year.
