Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Infrastructure T John and his relatives have illegally purchased reserve forest land near Madikeri in Karnataka and are getting revenues from these lands, according to a public interest litigation. The land was declared as Reserve Forest areas under the Karnataka Forest Act. Further, as per the Supreme Court's directions, the persons in whose favour these Jumma Malai forest land were registered, had only right to cultivate cardamom and does not have ownership on the land. These lands were sold to the minister's family by violating the court order, the petitioner said adding that the government officials were involved in this illegal land dealings.