Activist seeks ED action to publicly name seized Mysuru sites

Mysuru: The Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam — already a major jolt to Karnataka politics — has taken a new turn with more revelations emerging from the Enforcement Directorate’s ongoing investigation. After earlier attaching 160 illegally allotted sites worth over ₹300 crore, the ED recently seized an additional 92 sites, unearthing shocking details about how 30–40 sites were allegedly allotted to single individuals in blatant violation of rules.

Amid growing public anger, social activist Snehamayi Krishna has now written a letter to the ED demanding more transparency. She has asked the central agency to immediately publish the full details of all 252 seized sites — including their survey numbers, location, size, current ownership, and other critical information — through the media.

In her strongly worded appeal, Snehamayi Krishna pointed out that despite the massive illegal land grab, the ED has not made the list of attached sites easily accessible to the public. Nor has the agency ensured that proper signboards have been erected on the attached properties. According to her, this secrecy is emboldening corrupt land mafias to hoodwink innocent buyers by reselling these attached sites or illegally constructing buildings on them, putting unsuspecting citizens at huge risk.

The MUDA scam is being described as one of the biggest urban land rackets in Karnataka’s recent history. Massive irregularities in site allotments, benami transactions, fake documents, and collusion by officials and politicians have come to light in recent months. The ED’s investigation so far has only scratched the surface of what many suspect is a far deeper nexus of corruption involving crores of rupees and huge real estate tracts in Mysuru. Snehamayi Krishna’s letter highlights growing public frustration at what is seen as the government’s sluggishness in exposing all the beneficiaries and masterminds of the scam. Although the Congress government had promised a clean-up of urban land mafia operations, activists argue that the ground reality is different. Many allege that politically connected persons continue to hold sway in the urban development bodies and are using loopholes and influence to block full disclosure.

Activists have repeatedly pointed out that despite multiple exposes by the ED and income tax departments, little effort is being made to recover public land and punish those responsible. Many believe that unless details of the attached properties are openly declared and marked with visible signage, land grabbers will find ways to mislead buyers and regularize illegal properties through political pressure.

The demand for putting up plaques on seized sites is not new. In several high-profile cases elsewhere in India, agencies like the ED and CBI have ensured physical signboards to deter encroachment.

Snehamayi Krishna’s fresh appeal now puts pressure on both the ED and the Mysuru Urban Development Authority to act transparently and prevent further misuse of public assets.

As the MUDA scam probe widens, citizens and civic activists are watching closely to see if the Siddaramaiah-led government will finally crack down on land mafia networks and ensure accountability. The big question now is whether the Congress government will live up to its promises of clean governance — or whether political shielding and half-baked action will once again leave innocent homebuyers to pay

the price.