Mysuru: Mysuru Deputy Commissioner (DC) G. Lakshmikanth Reddy has issued a show-cause notice to Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner Ashaad-Ur-Rahman Shariff, demanding an explanation regarding the illegal Khata registration to a family for 10 acres of land worth crores of rupees, located adjacent to the Kuvempu Trust on Kalidasa Road in Jayalakshmipuram.

On Sept. 15, Star of Mysore published a report titled “Efforts to Grab 10-Acre Prime Land Exposed – Khata Process Completed in One Month; Cancellation Within a Day,” which led to the DC’s action.

The notice requires the MCC Commissioner to submit a report within three days of receipt. Action will be taken against the MCC officers responsible for granting the land to the family without proper record verification and subsequently cancelling the allocation after the illegality was publicly exposed.

K.S. Shivaramu, President of Karnataka Rajya Hindulida Vargagala Jagruta Vedike, highlighted this issue and demanded strict action against the officials involved in the illegal processing of Khatas for the prime land along Kalidasa Road in Jayalakshmipuram, which was cancelled within just one day.

Khata registration in one month

The MCC had no record of this prime land. Yet, within a month, Khata registration was granted after Tulasamma and her family from Nachanahallipalya, Mysuru, applied on July 2, 2024, for 10 acres under Hinkal Survey No. 155.

The following day, the MCC issued a public notification seeking objections. With none reported, the MCC expedited the Khata process. Records cited a Tahsildar’s Grant Certificate from Aug. 20, 1963, land conversion on Aug. 20, 1966, and an MCC letter from June 24, 1988.

Despite the lack of MCC records, the Joint Khata for the 10 acres was completed in the names of Tulasamma and her family — Jayalakshmi, Bhagyamma, R. Ganesh, R. Mahadeva, R. Dinesh, Padma, and Suresh — on Aug. 6, 2024. MCC officials processed the Khata due to the absence of public objections.

Illegality comes to light

However, on Sept. 5, Jayakumar from Kurubarahalli applied for the Khata’s cancellation, deeming it illegal. The MCC swiftly cancelled the Khata the next day, citing the need for further verification.

Records submitted by Tulasamma included a Form-1 and Tahsildar’s Grant Certificate issued to G. Ramaiah on Aug. 26, 1963, for 10 acres under Hinkal Survey No. 155, with land conversion on Aug. 20, 1966. The MCC cancelled the Khata pending verification of these documents by competent authorities.

Officials fail to verify

It is shocking that the MCC, responsible for verifying record authenticity, had no files related to this prime land. Despite this, Khatas were issued within a month of the application due to the lack of public objections. These rapid developments have sparked suspicions of a major scam.

According to authenticated records (1971 to 2000), the land in Hinkal Survey No. 155 is listed as Government property. Following a Government Order, the land was later allotted to the Kuvempu Trust, though the Trust never officially alienated it.