Mysuru's Rammanahalli land scam: Villagers threaten of stir against officials

Mysuru: Social activist Arvind Sharma and residents of Rammanahalli village, on Saturday, threatened to launch an indefinite protest in front of the Mysuru Taluk Office, if the Karnataka State government fails to suspend Town Panchayat Chief Officer Mahesh and Revenue Inspector (RI) Manjunath for their alleged role in an illegal land registration scam.

Addressing a press conference, in Mysuru, Sharma, president of Samagra Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, alleged that the officials colluded with land mafia members to create illegal ‘khata’ (land records) for government property on Survey No 259/5 (old Survey No 259/3) of Rammanahalli.

Illegal layout

Sharma claimed that 20 acres and 08 guntas of government land was illegally converted into a layout. “Chief Officer Mahesh and RI Manjunath joined hands with land developers Fazil Baig and Waheed Akhtar Khan to facilitate these illegal records. Despite multiple complaints to senior officials, no action has been taken, allowing the land grabbers to sell five sites to unsuspecting buyers, who have now lost their life savings,” he charged.

Evidence destruction

The activist pointed out that although the government had transferred RI Manjunath back to his parent department on April 28, he is allegedly using illegal means to stay in his current post.

“Manjunath is struggling to remain in Rammanahalli, to protect the interests of the land mafia and potentially destroy evidence of the illegal khatas he has created. If he continues in the post, more government land will be diverted to private individuals,” Sharma warned.

Protest threat

The villagers demanded immediate legal action against the officials, as well as the sellers — Devaraju and Sundramma (children of Kenchaiah) — and the developers, Fazil Baig and Waheed Akhtar Khan.

“The silence of senior officials suggests they might be involved in the scam. If the accused are not suspended and criminal cases are not filed against all accused, we will launch an indefinite satyagraha in front of the Mysuru Taluk Office and move the court against the higher authorities as well,” the villagers cautioned.

Village leaders Chaluvaiah, Mahadev, Suresh, and Auditor Suresh were present.