Krishnaraja MLA T.S. Srivatsa alleges former MUDA Chairman H.V. Rajeev joined Congress from BJP to cover-up his illegal deals

Mysuru: Krishnaraja MLA T.S. Srivatsa has levelled serious allegations against former Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) Chairman and Jnanaganga House Building Cooperative Society President, H.V. Rajeev, accusing him of disregarding Government orders to release 848 sites, completing their Khata and other registration processes within two days.

“To cover up the irregularities committed when he was MUDA Chairman, Rajeev has left BJP to join Congress, which is now in power. He is seeking the Government’s support to legitimise his illegal acts,” Srivatsa alleged.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Srivatsa presented copies of two letters written by Dr. D.B. Natesh, the then MUDA Commissioner, addressed to the MUDA Chairman on Feb. 16 and Feb. 22, 2022. He also provided documents of a letter written on the same day (Feb. 22) to the Secretary of the Urban Development Department.

The Jnanaganga House Building Cooperative Society developed a residential layout spanning 252.10 acres in the villages of Kergalli and Nagarthalli.

Khata within two days

According to Dr. Natesh’s letter to the Government, Rajeev, in violation of State Government orders and regulations, got 848 sites released and justified this action by stating that the MUDA Commissioner had approved the site release process.

Dr. Natesh’s letter to the Government also said that Rajeev completed the Khata registrations for these 848 sites within two days.

Regarding the lands developed by Jnanaganga House Building Cooperative Society, several applications seeking information under the Right To Information (RTI) Act were submitted to the MUDA office. Following complaints reaching the Chief Minister’s Secretary, the State Chief Secretary’s Office instructed that appropriate action be taken, Dr. Natesh stated in his letter.

Following this, the heads of the Technical and Urban Planning Departments of MUDA were directed to conduct a review. In his letter, Dr. Natesh mentioned that five files related to Jnanaganga House Building Cooperative Society’s Layout were kept in the office of the then Chairman (Rajeev) for one and a half months, and the Chairman had refused to return them to the Commissioner’s Office.

In his letter to the Government, Commissioner Dr. Natesh stated that despite issuing two official notes to the Chairman on Feb. 16 and Feb. 22, 2022, instructing him to return the files, the Chairman had failed to comply.

Violation of Court orders

Detailing on the issue further, the former MUDA Commissioner stated in his letter to the Government that out of the 252.10 acres of land, a civil court issued an interim order on Jan. 23, 2020, in case number 1041/2019, directing that the transfer of rights for sites in the specified layout should not proceed for certain survey numbers.

Similarly, in cases numbered 1034-1038/2019, a temporary injunction was in effect as of Nov. 25, 2019. Despite these developments, information was concealed and pressure was exerted on MUDA officials to release the 848 sites in violation of the Government and Court orders, Dr. Natesh’s letter stated.

“On 10.1.2022 the Government had transferred me and the Chairman did not submit the site release proposals to the acting Commissioner (as per the Government orders), thereby disregarding the laid-down rules, regulations and processes, committing illegalities,” Dr. Natesh has stated in the letter.

MLA Srivatsa has alleged that in the letter to the Government dated Feb. 22, 2022, Dr. Natesh stated that Rajeev, the Chairman of Jnanaganga House Building Cooperative Society and also the Chairman of MUDA, misused his authority and acted beyond his jurisdiction, defying Government orders and zonal regulations.

The MLA has demanded that the Government conduct a thorough investigation into this matter and take action against those responsible. Additionally, he has called for the annulment of sites approved illegally under the 50:50 ratio since 2020 and for criminal charges to be filed against the officials involved.

Furthermore, the legislator has urged the Government to suspend former MUDA Commissioner Dr. Natesh and initiate legal proceedings against him as well.

‘SOM’ had reported how 848 sites were approved in a day

On Feb. 11, 2022, Star of Mysore (SOM) had published a report titled ‘MUDA Khatas to 848 sites in just one day!’ exposing how Jnanaganga House Building Cooperative Society flouted Government Orders by issuing Khatas for 848 house sites spread over  252.10 acres.

At the time, H.V. Rajeev, the then MUDA Chairman, also headed the Jnanaganga Society, sparking a cold war between him  and the then MUDA Commissioner Dr. D.B. Natesh.

The report highlighted glaring loopholes in the layouts formed by the Society, leading to Commissioner Dr. Natesh’s refusal to approve the release of house sites, while Chairman Rajeev supported the Society’s interests. This internal conflict fuelled a bitter standoff between the two.

Amidst this tension, there were reports that the State Government might launch a high-level probe, with the Chief Secretary closely monitoring the issue. However, no action has been taken to date.