Karnataka | Singer Lucky Ali accuses IAS officer, husband of land grabbing
In a complaint lodged with the Karnataka Lokayukta police, Ali has alleged that the IAS officer “misused state resources” to illegally seize his trust-owned property
Renowned singer Lucky Ali has accused IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri, her husband Sudheer Reddy and brother-in-law Madhusudan Reddy of illegally grabbing his land on the outskirts of Bengaluru.
In a complaint lodged with the Karnataka Lokayukta police, Ali has alleged that the IAS officer “misused state resources” to illegally seize his trust-owned property. Subsequently, a case has been registered at the Yelahanka New Town police station. The singer shared a copy of his complaint filed with the Karnataka Lokayukta on his Twitter account. He had also lodged a complaint regarding this issue in 2022.
In his complaint, Ali alleged that Yelahanka New Town ACP Manjunath and Taluk Survey Officer Manohar were involved in the conspiracy. He urged senior officials to intervene, claiming that a conspiracy had been hatched to illegally seize the land.
The ownership dispute over the trust's land between the singer and the senior IAS officer has been ongoing for a long time. A few years ago, Ali had alleged on social media that local police were supporting the IAS officer. He also alleged that “land mafia was plotting to illegally seize the land”. The disputed property is located in the Kenchanahalli area of Yelahanka.
In 2022, Ali flagged the issue through a series of tweets to the then DGP Praveen Sood, alleging that his property near Kanchanahalli, Yelahanka, had been encroached upon. He alleged that no action was taken despite lodging a complaint with the ACP. He tweeted that local police were not assisting him and were instead supporting the family of Sindhuri. He said they had been residing there for the past 50 years.
The land dispute
The land dispute dates back to early 1990s. Lucky Ali's father, Mahmood Ali, purchased 400 acres of land in 1969. Out of those 400 acres, 220 acres had various encumbrances and had been subject to multiple cases over the years. Mahmood Ali transferred 160 acres of land to his six children by creating a trust. In 1991, he sold some of the land, which is now under litigation in court. Now, Lucky Ali has accused others of encroaching upon the land.
On December 4, 2022, Ali filed a complaint with the Karnataka DGP. “I am Masood Mahmood Ali, son of the late actor and comedian Mehmood Ali. Our trust’s farmhouse near Kanchanahalli, Yelahanka, has been encroached upon. Sudheer Reddy and Madhu Reddy, with the support of IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri, have illegally occupied the land. They are refusing to show the necessary documents, and local police are not helping us but are instead supporting the encroachers and acting against the current legal status,” he posted on social media.
Lucky Ali has been residing in Bengaluru for many years and is one of India's famous singers, known for singing in various languages, including Hindi films. He is more popular for his private music albums than his film songs.
Marred by controversies
IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri has often hit the headlines for various controversies. JD(S) leader Sara Mahesh had accused her of building a swimming pool by flouting norms during her tenure as the Mysore District Commissioner.
The Regional Commissioner submitted an investigation report to the state government regarding the construction of the swimming pool. The report revealed that the pool’s construction, which cost Rs 32 lakh, did not have the approval of the Heritage Conservation Committee.
The pool, constructed in the official residence ‘Jalasannidhi’, was not accessible to the public and did not serve public interest, making it illegal and against the law, according to the Regional Commissioner's report.
During her tenure as the Mysore District Commissioner, there were frequent accusations and counter-accusations between her and Sara Mahesh. IPS officer Roopa D Moudgil also made several allegations against Sindhuri.
Moudgil posted on her social media that “a female IAS officer frequently sends private photos to senior male officers. What does it mean if she sends such photos to three different male officers? This is not a personal matter. It is a violation of IAS Service Conduct Rules and can be investigated by any investigative agency”. She also shared Sindhuri’s photos.
An intense social media spat ensued between Rohini and Roopa. A few days later, the government decided not to assign any responsibilities to both officers.
(The article was originally published in The Federal Karnataka)
