Report by Vivek C
Pics by Michael Rodrigues
Team Mangalorean Udupi

Udupi: “The MLA of Udupi, Ragupathi Bhat has illegally possessed 110 acres of land from KIADB out of which he has given  upto 44 acres to his friend from Mumbai” said Udupi block congress chief secretary, Janardhan Bhandarkar. He was speaking at a press meet held at the Udupi press club on Tuesday July 10, 2012.
 
This illegal plot possessed by the MLA is said to be in the Nandikoor area, where Karnataka Govt had given directives on 3-12-2002 for availing 110.61 acres of land to KIADB for promoting Small Scale Industries in Nadikoor Grama.   This  110.6 acres of land exists adjacent to KPTCL Sub Station near Nandikoor lying across both sides of the road crossing the Padubidri – Karkala road.

This land was allotted to the ministry for small scale industries for progress and development in this area. This land though comes under the Kaup constituency, the MLA is said to have written to the then chief minister B. S. Yedyurappa and the minister handling the state port folio Murugesh Nirani in the year 2009 to gentrify the 44 acre land.
 
And the land that remained a part of it was planned to be utilized for the developmental works. This land is said to be in a hot spot area and now fetching over crore of rupees. This scam done by the MLA is fetching him 44 crore rupees. The transfer and RTC procedure of this piece of land is in process in the office and the friend of the MLA who shall be receiving this huge favour shall pay him back the amount in the form of a donation.

We will submit a detailed report along with all needed evidence to the Chief Minister of Karnataka. We will also request him to have a look into it and hand over the issue to the Lokayuktha and make sure this culprit is punished, said Janardhan Bhandarkar 
 
Udupi Block congress vice president Prakhyath Shetty, Udupi Youth congress president Yathis Karkera, General Secretary Ramesh Kanchan, Udupi Block Congress Right to Information Cell’s Yogish Shet were present during the press meet.