Mangaluru urban development authority chief arrested after receiving Rs 25 lakh bribe

Mangaluru: The Lokayukta police caught Mangaluru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) commissioner Mansoor Ali and broker Mohammed Salim red-handed while allegedly receiving a bribe of Rs 25 lakh for issuing a Transferable Development Rights (TDR) certificate.

“The Lokayukta police arrested Ali who had placed the demand for the bribe and broker Mohammed Salim, who had accepted the bribe on behalf of the commissioner,” Lokayukta incharge SP Cheluvaraju B said.

The complaint said that he had purchased 10.8 acres of land on survey number 57/P at Kudupu in Mangaluru taluk.

City corporation's letter

The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) had written to the complainant about acquiring the land for the expansion of its solid waste management unit at Pacchanady and had issued the TDR.

TDR certificate

Accordingly, the land was registered in the name of MCC in January 2024. Later, in February, the MCC commissioner had written to the MUDA commissioner to issue a TDR certificate.

However, the MUDA commissioner had failed to clear the file.

When the complainant met the MUDA commissioner in this regard, he had allegedly placed a demand for a bribe of Rs 25 lakh.

Trap laid

The Lokayukta laid the trap and arrested broker Mohammed Salim when he was receiving a bribe of Rs 25 lakh on behalf of the commissioner. Inspectors Amanulla A, Suresh Kumar B and other staff conducted the raid under the guidance of the Lokayukta incharge SP.