UDD bureaucrat under scanner for illegal site allotment

The Urban Development Department (UDD) will investigate a deputy secretary-level officer to determine if he influenced the BDA to allot a prime site at the upscale RMV Extension to his relative.

One of the seven beneficiaries of a 50x80 site in north Bengaluru is related to K S Jagadeesh, deputy secretary at the UDD, who handles all BDA-related files. If found guilty, Jagadeesh had acted in violation of a Supreme Court order.

Questioned by DH, Rakesh Singh, Additional Chief Secretary at UDD, said: “I shall inquire.”

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) allotted alternative sites to seven people even after the Supreme Court’s order to auction sites formed in fully developed layouts or recovered properties.

A majority of beneficiaries are elected representatives. The two allottees who did not have any political background were Geetha Reddy and Dr M Nagaraj, former member of the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).

Remained with UDD for 15 years against govt rules

Jagadeesh has been holding various positions at the UDD for the past 15 years against the state government’s order prohibiting secretary-level officers from staying with a department for more than five years.

Reddy, who joined as a second division clerk, has also been handling all files of the BDA for the last 10 years, multiple sources in BDA said.

When DH reached out, Jagadeesh did not respond to calls or messages.