Mysore/Mysuru: Denying the charges levelled against him by Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh, who accused him of giving letters of recommendation for the allotment of MUDA sites under the 50:50 ratio scheme, former MLA and JD(S) working president S.R. Mahesh has urged the State Government to order a comprehensive investigation into the MUDA scam to uncover the truth.

At a press conference held at his office on Ramavilas Road yesterday, S.R. Mahesh challenged Suresh to reveal the details of the survey numbers mentioned during a recent press conference in Bengaluru. The Minister had alleged that Mahesh gave recommendation letters for sites in Bogadi Survey Numbers, and Mahesh demanded that these letters be made public.

Mahesh expressed doubt that the truth would emerge from the judicial inquiry led by a retired judge of the Karnataka High Court and instead called for a high-level investigation into the scam.

He reiterated that the ongoing inquiries would not uncover the irregularities in MUDA unless the State Government was serious about the matter. He pointed out that about 1,100 sites had been allotted under the 50:50 scheme, intended as compensation for farmers whose lands were used by MUDA to develop layouts without completing the acquisition formalities.

Mahesh also called for an audit of the sites earmarked by MUDA during P.S. Kantharaju’s tenure as Commissioner under the previous regime of H.D. Kumaraswamy as Chief Minister.

Additionally, he urged KPCC Working President and Narasimharaja MLA Tanveer Sait to speak out about the scam. “Tanveer Sait, who has been an MLA for over 20 years, knows many truths and secrets about MUDA. He can help the Congress leaders gain more knowledge,” Mahesh noted.