BENGALURU: Mysore Urban Development Authority (Muda) allegedly allocated 1,095 sites worth Rs 700 crore in the market through benami transactions, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) told Karnataka Lokayukta, citing its investigation.
Lokayukta sources confirmed they’d received such an information from ED. Both agencies are probing the Muda alternative site allotment scam in which chief minister Siddaramaiah and his wife are among the accused.
Lokayukta sources said this was routine exchange of investigation updates between the two agencies. They, however, said they do not know how details of the ED communication landed in public domain.
According to ED, its money-laundering investigation uncovered violations of statutory guidelines in land transfer to BM Parvathi, the CM’s wife, procedural irregularities, improper favouritism and document falsification. Further findings indicated that questionable practices at Muda extended beyond Parvathi’s case, with 1,095 sites, valued at over Rs 700 crore in the market, being improperly distributed.
“It is evident that the entire proceedings undertaken for conversion of land for non-agricultural purpose is a sham and not based on facts on the ground, as can be seen from the proceedings undertaken by the entire revenue administration — village accountant, surveyor, revenue inspector, tahsildar, deputy commissioner, who had purportedly visited the land and undertook spot inspection. These authorities never mentioned any of the work undertaken by Muda and even reported that no unauthorised construction is in place which is contrary to facts on the ground, as seen from satellite imageries and records of Muda,” the ED stated.
“The indemnity bond submitted by BM Mallikarjuna Swamy (CM’s brother) does not even have his signature. This indicates all these proceedings are influenced. It is also to be noted that Siddaramaiah was the deputy chief minister when proceedings for conversion of the land was undertaken,” it added.
The ED explained why money-laundering charges are applicable in Muda case.
“The land was originally acquired by Muda for Rs 3,24,700 and the same was illegally denotified based on incorrect facts and under influence. Subsequently, the land was purchased by BM Mallikarjuna Swamy as agricultural land despite the fact that development had already been undertaken by Muda and sites had been allotted… Further, the land was converted into residential land based on incorrect spot-inspection reports, and no objection from Muda was obtained,” the ED said, adding: “Illegal compensation in the form of sites at upscale areas worth around Rs 56 crore was obtained through political influence. These illegally obtained sites were projected as compensation received from Muda.”
Land in Kesare, measuring 3 acres and 16 guntas, was gifted by BM Mallikarjuna Swamy to his sister, Parvathi, vide a gift deed dated Oct 20, 2010. This was six years after the purchase of the land, whereas it was all along in the possession of Muda and allottees. Swamy made no representation and it is evident that he made no efforts to take possession of the land, ED said.
Parvathi also didn’t make any complaints, representations or efforts in respect of the land for another approximately four years. “It can be observed that the entire process of denotification, purchase of land and its subsequent conversion for non-agricultural purpose was all along devised under influence to obtain possession of a prime land at a layout being developed by Muda. This land was subsequently gifted to Parvathi, who projected the illegal land acquired through influence as untainted property acquired through gift,” the letter added.
