More than two weeks after the mysterious death of Bhopal Development Authority’s chief executive officer M G Rusiya, 56, whose family has pointed the finger of suspicion at a BJP MLA, investigators are yet to reach any conclusion.

What is clear is that the official was dealing with 3,000 acre of prime land — most of it off the NH-69 on the outskirts of Bhopal — which the authority plans to develop.

It is also believed that the MLA from Huzur, Jitendra Daga, was desperate to save as much of the 18 acres of land that he and his family members own from being acquired by the authority.

Rusiya and the MLA had flown together to New Delhi on September 10 to consult a Supreme Court lawyer on whether what Daga wanted was possible by law. Daga wanted ownership of the land reserved for public amenities with the landowner rather than the BDA.

The lawyer endorsed what the BDA had maintained — such a transfer of ownership was illegal. The trip’s expenditure was borne entirely by Daga, who even ‘loaned’ a few thousand rupees to the official to buy a precious stone.

Daga and Rusiya were to take the evening flight back but took the overnight train instead. While Daga got down at the main railway station in Bhopal, Rusiya who was to alight at Habibganj, never did.

The MLA told the police that when he woke up the next morning he found Rusiya’s shoes and luggage lying in the coupe and thought he was in the toilet. The BDA CEO’s body was found near Agra on September 11 after a frantic search. Rusiya’s family, meanwhile, is not convinced by Daga’s version of events and wants him booked.

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