Amid MUDA 'scam', Karnataka govt. transfers Mysuru Deputy Commissioner
Bengaluru (PTI): Amid a controversy over alleged land scam in Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), the Karnataka government on Friday transferred Mysuru Deputy Commissioner K V Rajendra.
Senior BJP leader R Ashoka had earlier alleged that Rajendra had written several letters to MUDA stating that the allotment of alternative sites to land losers, in lieu of land acquired from them to form residential layouts under a "50:50 ratio" scheme, was improper.
Rajendra was among the 21 IAS officers who were transferred by the Government in a bureaucratic reshuffle. He has been posted as the Director of Tourism in Bengaluru.
Rajendra was replaced by G Lakshmikanth Reddy, who is presently the Managing Director of Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC), Bengaluru.
Ashoka, the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, had alleged that Rajendra had also sought details about the process adopted to allot alternative sites but MUDA did not bother to respond.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday rejected BJP's demand for a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in allotment of sites to land losers, including his wife Parvathi, by MUDA, as he stoutly denied any wrongdoing. Mysuru is the home district of the Chief Minister.
The BJP has alleged that alternative sites were also allotted to Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by the MUDA, and sought his resignation.
The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under the scheme in lieu of over three acres of her land, where MUDA developed a residential layout.
The controversial scheme envisages allotting 50 per cent of developed land to the land loser in lieu of undeveloped land acquired for forming layouts.
The BJP has alleged that irregularities to the tune of Rs 4,000 crore had taken place in distribution of sites to land losers by MUDA. "Apparently 4,500-5,000 sites were allotted by flouting norms," a BJP leader claimed.
"Have they (BJP) given any case (to CBI) during their tenure? I have given seven cases (including his earlier tenure as CM). This is not a case that is to be given to CBI...we too had demanded, did they give (any case to CBI for probe)," Siddaramaiah had said in response to a question on BJP demanding for a CBI probe.
The Chief Minister had said the plots were given to his wife by MUDA in 2021 when BJP was in power.
"They (BJP) are the ones who gave the site, now if they themselves call it illegal, how should one take it? We did not ask for sites to be given in Vijayanagar 3rd or 4th stage (in Mysuru)," Siddaramaiah said.
The Chief Minister said earlier this week that housing sites allotted by MUDA under the scheme have been put on hold pending an investigation into the alleged irregularities.
He had also said he wouldn't resign. "What role do I have in this case?" he had asked.
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
