The Enforcement Directorate has launched a probe into money laundering charges in the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allotment scam allegedly involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his family members. However, the probe is likely to raise questions over the complacency of subsequent governments over the massive irregularities in the MUDA reported by the deputy commissioner and a technical committee on November 3, 2023.
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Following the High Court nod to investigate the allegations of illegality in the allotment of 14 compensatory sites in a prime location in Mysuru to CM's wife Parvathi in lieu of 3.18 acres of farm land in Kesare village, both the ED and the Lokayukta started the investigations.
A fortnight ago, CM's wife announced that she was surrendering all the sites to the MUDA while expressing anguish over the allegations being made against her husband.
With the investigation gaining pace, MUDA chairman and close aide of Siddaramaiah, K. Marigowda resigned earlier this week, citing poor health.
BJP MLA from Krishnaraja (Mysuru) T.S. Srivatsa has demanded suspension of former MUDA commissioners G.T. Dinesh Kumar and Dr D.B. Natesh, who had been left off the hook despite reports of massive irregularities during their tenure. The MLA has also sought cancellation of all alternative site allotments carried out between 2020 and 2024, under the controversial 50:50 formula. He also urged the state government to implement the technical committee report to prevent illegalities in future.
According to sources, the former commissioners who are in the dock had reportedly threatened to "expose" leaders from all three political parties who had grabbed multiple sites from the MUDA, if any action were to be taken against them.
The two officers, during a meeting with the chief minister and Urban Development minister Byrati Suresh, had claimed the sites were illegally granted only under political pressure. This perhaps explains why the accused officers have not faced any action and also the complacency of the political parties to demand for a comprehensive high-level inquiry by a competent agency.
In August, an advocate – S. Arunkumar had filed a complaint before the Mysuru police commissioner urging the police to register cases against the former MUDA commissioners, stating that they had violated various provisions of the Karnataka Urban Development Authorities Act, 1987, and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 among other laws causing a loss of Rs 5,000 crore to the MUDA. But till date no action has been initiated as sources pointed out that several influential persons including politicians had purchased plots at low prices from the farmers and the MUDA would then denotify these plots.
“The MUDA scam is not politically motivated but a reflection of the deep-rooted corruption and lack of accountability by subsequent governments,” said social activist Snehamayi Krishna, who had petitioned the governor seeking CM’s prosecution in the MUDA scam.
