BJP alleges former Urban Development Minister took away crucial land records; seeks probe
Mysuru: Mysuru BJP City Spokesperson M.A. Mohan has demanded a thorough investigation into the alleged removal of crucial MUDA (Mysuru Urban Development Authority) site allocation records by former Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh, who had arrived in Mysuru by helicopter soon after the 50:50 site allocation scam came to light.
Speaking at a press conference at the BJP office in Mysuru yesterday, Mohan recalled that Suresh, who was then the Urban Development Minister, had arrived in Mysuru by helicopter around 5 pm.
“He searched through the MUDA offices until 7.30 pm, collected documents, loaded them into a car and then flew back from Mysore Airport at Mandakalli with those records. When we raised this issue then, it was dismissed as baseless. But now it is clear that those documents were indeed taken away,” he said.
Mohan alleged that the present Urban Development Minister Dr. Yathindra Siddaramaiah was unaware of what records had been removed. He demanded that Suresh, who is now the Transport Minister, be questioned and that any site allotments linked to the missing records be cancelled.
“This was for his personal use. Officials cooperated with him in removing the records. Why was there such urgency to come by helicopter? The very next day, the Justice P.N. Desai Judicial Commission was scheduled to arrive and MUDA was bracing for a raid. That is why the documents were taken away,” he alleged.
Mohan demanded that the records be brought back, illegal site allotments cancelled and action taken against Suresh and the officials who allegedly helped remove the documents.
He also sought action against sub-registrars who registered sites using “settlement deeds” instead of proper sale deeds. “Punishment must be imposed across party lines on all guilty officials,” he said.
Mohan welcomed the State Government’s recent decision to cancel the controversial 50:50 site allotments, describing it as a victory for the BJP’s sustained agitation.
He urged the Government to implement the cancellation order immediately, constitute a special team of officials and lawyers, and take steps for the speedy recovery of the sites.
Tainted Commissioner promoted
Mohan further alleged that the MUDA scam was initiated by former Commissioner Dr. D.B. Natesh and later continued by G.T. Dinesh Kumar. While Dinesh Kumar was arrested and jailed, Natesh was promoted and continues to serve in the Government.
“Why this double standard? The Government must clarify,” he demanded. He also questioned why officials allegedly linked to the scam continued to serve in the same MUDA offices despite the issue coming to light.
Mohan alleged that “settlement deeds” were widely misused in the allotment of sites, pointing out that such deeds are legally valid only between related parties.
He cited the case of Shanthamma, whose husband’s land was acquired in 1964. She sought compensation only in 2023 and was subsequently allotted sites. Investigations, he claimed, revealed several such cases, with some individuals receiving as many as 120 sites.
Records showed land acquisitions dating back to 1952 and 1968, yet compensation was claimed again decades later under the 50:50 scheme. “This was possible only because MUDA officials and middlemen destroyed old records and facilitated fresh allotments,” Mohan alleged.
This post was published on August 21, 2026 7:30 pm