In a significant development in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case, the Lokayukta police interrogated retired IAS officer S. Palaiah on Thursday. The case involves high-profile names, including Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his wife, and is centered on alleged irregularities in land allotment and transactions.
Palaiah, who served as the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru in 2004-05 and briefly held the position of MUDA Commissioner, was questioned at the Lokayukta SP office in Mysuru. His involvement stems from documents he reportedly signed during the controversial land transaction involving survey number 464 in Kesare village. This property was purchased by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s brother-in-law, B. M. Mallikarjuna Swamy, from J. Devaraju, raising concerns over the potential misuse of authority.
The Lokayukta’s Special Police (SP), led by T. J. Udesh, is investigating allegations of misuse of power in alternative land allotments by MUDA officials. Addressing the media after the inquiry, Palaiah explained, “When the officials first issued a notice, I couldn’t attend due to prior commitments. Today, I have responded to their queries about the documents I signed related to the land and provided all necessary answers.”
Just last week, another retired IAS officer, current Raichur MP Kumar Naik, was also summoned by the Lokayukta in connection with the same case. Naik, who served as the Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru during the relevant period, appeared for questioning on October 19. The ongoing investigations continue to garner public and media attention as the Lokayukta seeks to uncover potential irregularities in the MUDA land allotment practices.
