Now, Security Bond Sheet Scam in MUDA

• From April 2021 to July 2024, MUDA prints 5,000 allotment letters, violating annual 500 limit
• 1,200 MUDA allotment letters accounted for, says Government in Assembly; 3,639 ‘unknown’

Mysore/Mysuru: Every week, new irregularities in Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allocation scam are coming to light, with the latest revelation exposing the blatant misuse of site allotment letters or High-Security Bond Sheets. Over the past four years, MUDA has issued 4,839 site allotment letters — each barcoded and numbered High-Security Bond Sheet with tamper-proof features, serving as the official site sanction letter by MUDA.

Records obtained by Star of Mysore reveal that between April 6, 2021 and July 3, 2024 (38 months and 27 days), the MUDA Commissioner procured 4,839 High-Security Bond Sheets through his Personal  Assistant for official use.

However, the Urban Development Minister’s written reply in the Assembly last week stated that only 1,200 allotment letters have been issued by MUDA from 2021 to 2024. But records show that 4,839 site allotment letters were distributed during the same period.

Given that 4,839 High-Security Bond Sheets were procured over four years, the Minister’s statement that only 1,200 allotment letters were issued raises serious questions about the fate of the remaining 3,639 allotment letters. What happened to these letters that were supposedly kept in the record rooms?

Only 500 Security Bond Sheets per year

Sources told this newspaper that every year, MUDA strictly prints only 500 Security Bond Sheets to prevent misuse and these letters are kept in the record room. Officially, beneficiaries are issued the allotment letters with a distinct barcode and number while a site is allotted.

These letters are then entrusted to an officer of engineer rank and their use must be meticulously recorded in a register, detailing the allotted site, name of the allottee and the site numbers that have been allotted.

However, numerous cases have surfaced where officials bypassed these protocols, concealing information and allegedly misusing the allotment letters. Records show that from 6.4.2021 till 3.7.2024, over 5,000 allotment letters have been printed violating the 500 limit and that too when no new layouts have been formed. From 6.4.2021 till 3.7.2024, 4,839 allotment letters have been distributed.

Sources said that these 4,839 allotment letters have been arbitrarily distributed to MUDA Commissioner, his PA, Tahsildars, Deputy Tahsildars, section officers, site engineers and zonal officers — which was open for misuse — instead of handing them over to a responsible officer for safe custody. The Commissioner’s Personal Assistant himself has taken 1,960 allotment letters as evident by the signed documents with serial numbers. 

“Instead of doing public work, MUDA officers, through middlemen and touts, openly indulged in the misuse of the allotment letters and gave them away to site aspirants or applicants to make money or even to the family members of officers and touts,” sources said.

Surprisingly, MUDA issued 1,200 allotment letters in just 55 days — from May 9, 2024, to July 3, 2024 — indicating a sudden surge in activity and a last-minute rush.

Only Commissioner has authority

Under MUDA’s rules, only the Commissioner has the authority to use or grant permission for the use of these allotment letters. The Secretary can act only with the Commissioner’s approval. Even damaged sheets must be returned and must have a log entry. Despite these strict guidelines, clerical staff, in violation of the rules, have gained access to these allotment letters or Security Bond Sheets.

This breach has likely led to unauthorised site allotments, with some sites being registered under different names. Reports indicate that these allotment letters have been exploited to extort money, contributing to widespread corruption involving thousands of letters.

‘Interrogate former Commissioners’

This scandal has ignited demands for a thorough investigation. The Government must interrogate former Commissioners, Secretaries, Special Tahsildars and the Commissioner’s personal assistants. The evidence indicates that over 5,000 sites have been illegally allocated. I urge the Government to conduct a transparent investigation and reclaim the sites that rightfully belong to the people.” — R. Raghu Kautilya, President, Karnataka BJP OBC Morcha