Mysuru: With the probe into the mega Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA)  alternative sites allotment scam underway, the State Government has directed the MUDA Commissioner to ensure that all officials and personnel, who have caused huge revenue losses to the Government, do not escape from facing disciplinary action.

As a step in this regard, the Under-Secretary of Urban Development Department K. Latha has asked MUDA Commissioner A.N. Raghunandan to provide complete details of officials who had served in the Land Acquisition section, Sites section, Accounts section, Engineering section, Record Room, Sub-Registrars and all other personnel who had served in MUDA right from the time when the official notification for allotment of alternative sites as per 50:50 ratio basis was issued and during allotment of alternative sites, auction of sites, Khata registration  etc., within three days.

The Government on Mar.14, 2023 had constituted a Probe Committee headed by the then Director of the Directorate of Municipal Administration to carry out a probe into allotment of bit-of-land and allotment of sites under alternative sites scheme for land-losers, following which IAS Officer Prabhulinga Kavalikatti, who carried out a probe, had submitted a report to the Government on June 24, 2024.

Based on this probe report, the Government has written to the MUDA Commissioner seeking details of former MUDA Commissioner G.T. Dinesh Kumar (now under suspension) and other officials and staff as the charges of their involvement in sites allotment scam are found to be prima facie true.

The Committee, in its report, had highlighted with supporting documents and other proof that officials who had served in the Land Acquisition section, Sites section, Accounts section, MUDA Zonal Offices, Records Room staff and staff of Sub-Registrar Office in MUDA had prima facie been found to be  involved in rampant irregularities.

The report also highlighted in detail the huge revenue loss caused to the Government and the MUDA on account of illegal allotment of sites, issuance of Title Deeds, Khata Registration etc.

 In this backdrop, the Urban Development Department Under-Secretary has asked the MUDA Commissioner to give details such as the name of the officials, their date of birth, their designation, the name of the post they held, the name of their parent department (in case they were on deputation to MUDA), the name of the office where they are serving now (in case they are transferred), their residential address (in case they have retired from service etc.) who had served in MUDA when the irregularities and scams took place.

The letter has even sought submission of order letters concerning the appointment of officials and staff to the posts they held in MUDA, the job and the responsibilities they were assigned and an exact estimate on the extent of revenue  losses to the Government and MUDA because of irregularities.

This apart, the  letter has directed the MUDA Commissioner to ensure that all those officials who have been identified by the Government as being involved in irregularities, must not be allowed to escape from the clutches of the law and as well as the disciplinary action that the Government would initiate if they are found guilty of the charges against them.

It may be mentioned here that barring the suspension of a former MUDA Commissioner, no disciplinary action has been taken as yet against any other MUDA Official or staff, even as the Lokayukta, Justice (Retd.) P.N. Desai Commission and ED probes into the MUDA 50:50 ratio alternative sites allotment scam are underway and the High Court is hearing a petition that has sought transfer of MUDA scam probe to the CBI.