Mysuru District Minister, ruling party MLAs, MLCs tight-lipped about scam

Mysore/Mysuru: Following a massive plot misappropriation scandal worth thousands of crores of rupees, the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) is under intense scrutiny, forcing MUDA officials to work late into the night.

Officers, who usually leave at 5 pm, were found working late into the night yesterday, searching and scrutinising files, amid reports that the Government constituted-Special Investigation Team (SIT) could arrive at the MUDA office to investigate the scandal at any time.

The massive misappropriation scandal, involving the allocation of plots worth thousands of crores under a 50:50 ratio, incentive plots and substitute plots, has erupted in MUDA and is facing public criticism.

In response, MUDA officials have been on high alert, with many working late into the night at their respective offices.

Files summoned from 9 Zones

Apart from the 140 files seized by a team led by Venkatachalapathy, a senior IAS officer from Bengaluru on Friday, sources said that many more files and records could reveal illegalities if the SIT begins its investigation.

Sources added that MUDA Commissioner G.T. Dinesh Kumar summoned numerous files from all nine MUDA Zones last evening, with several officers busy searching for the relevant documents after work hours.

In addition to the nine Zones, files were also requested from the MUDA Superintendent’s office, the Special Land Acquisition Officer’s office and the Record Room.

The search continued late into the night, raising eyebrows and leading to public suspicion about the officials’ activities.

Elected representatives keep mum

Meanwhile, despite the gravity of the situation, the deafening silence from Ministers, MLAs, MLCs and other Government representatives from Mysuru has sparked significant public suspicion and outrage.

In Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s hometown, the MUDA, a revered institution, is embroiled in controversy. Officials are accused of leveraging intermediaries to haphazardly distribute thousands of plots, resulting in a staggering loss of thousands of crores of rupees to both MUDA and the State Exchequer.

The scandal has dominated daily headlines, prompting widespread concerns about the extent of awareness and complicity among the authorities involved.

MUDA Chairman K. Marigowda has issued a directive to the Commissioner to halt the allocation of plots under the 50:50 ratio and present the issue at the Authority’s meeting.

People demand accountability

Despite these calls for transparency and justice, key Government figures, including District Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, MLC and MUDA Member Dr. Yathindra Siddaramaiah (CM’s son), MLAs Tanveer Sait, Rameshbabu Bandisiddegowda, K. Harishgowda, Darshan Dhruvanarayan, MLCs Dr. D. Thimmaiah, Madhu G. Madegowda and Dinesh Gooligowda have remained conspicuously silent about the scandal.

Along with them, the Mysuru region has other party MLAs like G.T. Devegowda (JD-S), MLCs Adagooru H. Vishwanath (BJP), C.N. Manjegowda (JD-S), and K. Vivekananda (JD-S) — all MUDA Members — who are also silent about the scam and conspiracy.

These representatives, entrusted with the welfare of MUDA and the planned development of Mysuru, have failed to address the enormous financial loss of thousands of crores due to the ongoing site scam.

Their silence has significantly heightened public suspicion and eroded trust in their commitment to their roles. The public is now demanding answers and accountability as the scandal continues to unfold.

No action on notices

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dr. K.V. Rajendra, who served as the acting Chairman, after preparing the minutes of the Jan. 16, 2024 meeting, did not distribute copies to the Members.

Using this as an alibi, even after three notices were issued to the Commissioner, no action has been taken, further deepening the crisis. The public is demanding transparency and accountability from their elected representatives.

Despite the Government’s explicit order to halt the plot allocation process under the 50:50 ratio and cancel the previously allocated plots, no action has been taken. This rule-violating practice continues unabated, prompting the Under Secretary of the Urban Development Department to issue a show-cause notice seeking an explanation.

Adding to the mounting pressure, Krishnaraja MLA T.S. Srivatsa has lodged a written complaint with the State Chief Secretary, calling for a thorough investigation and stringent action against the officials implicated in the scam.