MUDA case had its origin more than 3 decades ago

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: The Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case over which the Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot accorded sanction for investigation against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has its origins more than three decades ago. The case pertains to alleged allotment of compensatory sites to Siddaramaiah's wife B M Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land "acquired" by the MUDA. The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where it developed a residential layout. Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50 per cent of developed land to the land losers in lieu of undeveloped land.

However, it is alleged that Parvathi had no legal title over this 3.16 acres of land at survey number 464 of Kasare village in Kasaba hobli of Mysuru taluk. The issue finds its origins in September 1992, when preliminary notification was issued to acquire land measuring 3.16 acres belonging to one Ninga bin Javara to form the Devanur Layout third phase. While the said land was later denotified in May 1998, it was still used to form Devanur Layout. Siddaramaiah's brother-in-law Mallikarjunaswamy in August 2004 purchased this 3.16 acres of land from one of the sons of the original holder, and got it converted for nonagricultural purposes in July 2005. In October 2010, Mallikarjunaswamy executed the gift deed of the land to his sister Parvathi, Siddaramaiah's wife. Questions are being raised as to how Siddaramaiah's brother-in-law purchased land in 2004 and gifted it to Parvathi, when the layout was formed and sites were allotted in 2001 itself. Also, how the land that was denotified became 'agricultural' land for it to be converted in 2005.

It is claimed that Parvathi in June 2014 realised that the MUDA had illegally acquired her 3.16 acres land without consent to develop Devanur Layout and had formed sites and sought compensation in lieu of her land. Following this, MUDA in December 2017, admitting its mistake in using the denotified land to form a layout, decided to award alternative sites to Parvathi .