Included in 100 files taken by Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh in a helicopter: MUDA staff

Mysuru: Even as the probe into massive corruption in Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land deals has intensified, critical documents tied to sites approved under the 50:50 scheme are vanishing without a trace from MUDA’s record room.

Under the spotlight were the 14 MUDA sites in Vijayanagar 3rd and 4th Stages, worth crores of rupees, initially allotted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife, B.M. Parvathi. Though these sites have been voluntarily returned to MUDA, the original documents related to other 50:50 transactions have mysteriously disappeared.

Even more alarming, the ‘file tracking records’ that should account for the movement of these documents from one section to another have also vanished, fuelling suspicions and raising serious questions.

Complaint on Sept. 5, 2024

Real estate and RERA analyst, as well as social activist M.D. Adish Sagar, lodged a formal complaint on Sept. 5, 2024, with MUDA Chairman K. Marigowda and Commissioner A.N. Raghunandan, urging immediate action to report the disappearance of original site documents to the Police and lodge a criminal case.

Kantha and Shanthakumar, residents of Rajendranagar, Kesare 4th Cross, Mysuru, were jointly allotted six prime sites (site numbers 1/83, 1/84, 1/85, 1/86, 1/87, and 633/B) in Devanur 3rd Stage, each measuring 40×60 feet.

Shockingly, the original approval documents for these valuable sites have been stolen and destroyed. Adish Sagar has demanded an urgent investigation and is pressing for a complaint to be filed with the Lakshmipuram Police Station, insisting on registering an FIR against the officers and staff involved in the disappearance of the files.

No information given under RTI

In his complaint, Adish Sagar highlighted that even after a month of filing an RTI (Right to Information) application, the requested information remained elusive. Frustrated by the delay, he contacted MUDA’s Zonal Office-5B Site Section Special Tahsildar Mohanakumari, who directed him to follow up with office assistant Ratna or case manager K.C. Umesh.

Upon further inquiry, Sagar discovered a startling revelation: Close associates of Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh — Suresh and Upendra Singh from Bengaluru, along with Ramesh from Mysuru and others — had allegedly taken the crucial documents via helicopter along with the Minister. This shocking claim was detailed in Sagar’s complaint letter, raising serious concerns about the handling of the files.

Breach of protocol

On May 30, 2024, Adish Sagar reported a serious breach of protocol during the tenure of then Commissioner G.T. Dinesh Kumar. First Division Assistant M. Prashanth allegedly gained unauthorised access to MUDA’s restricted record room, reserved only for authorised personnel, and illegally obtained sample approval letters numbered between 1384 and 14141, he alleged.

In a blatant violation of procedure, Prashanth also retrieved six site files approved under the controversial 50:50 scheme. These illegal actions were documented under dispatch number 0869, receipt number 1161 and delivery number 300, raising significant concerns about the integrity of MUDA’s internal operations, Adish Sagar pointed out.

Concealing illegal activities

The original documents tied to the approval process of these sites were permanent records that should have been securely stored at MUDA’s Zonal Office 5B under the Special Tahsildar’s supervision.

However, these files have mysteriously vanished, prompting Adish Sagar to demand that those responsible be charged under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 238 for concealing criminal evidence, Section 241 for the theft of Government documents and Section 303 (1) for the theft of assets or records.

Sagar has made a grave allegation, claiming that individuals within MUDA are deliberately stealing and destroying original site allotment documents in a calculated attempt to conceal their illegal activities.