MUDA land allotment: Court orders probe against Siddaramaiah after HC upholds prosecution nod

This order, pronounced by Judge Santhosh Gajanana Bhat, follows the precocious court’s determination to uphold the authorisation granted by Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot to analyse alleged irregularities successful the allotment of 14 plots to Siddaramaiah’s woman B M Parvathi by MUDA.

In effect to the court’s orders, Siddaramaiah reiterated his willingness to look the investigation. “I americium acceptable for a ineligible fight. I had said this yesterday and I americium reiterating it contiguous arsenic well,” helium said.

Siddaramaiah, who had attended a reappraisal gathering successful Bengaluru earlier leaving for Kerala, returned to the metropolis connected Wednesday night.

MUDA had allotted 14 lodging plots, totalling 38,286 sq ft, to Parvathi nether a arguable 50:50 ratio strategy successful speech for 3.16 acres of her land, which was developed into a residential layout. Critics allege that Parvathi had nary ineligible rubric to the 3.16 acres of onshore astatine survey fig 464 of Kasare colony successful Kasaba Hobli successful Mysuru district.

The Congress person has defended the onshore allotment, made successful 2021 during the BJP’s rule, arsenic “totally legal”. The allegations stem from complaints made by anti-corruption activists T J Abraham, Snehamayi Krishna and Pradeep Kumar, who approached the Governor successful July, claiming corruption successful the acquisition of the onshore by Siddaramaiah’s brother-in-law B M Mallikarjun successful 2004. Mallikarjun aboriginal talented the onshore to Siddaramaiah’s woman successful 2010.

Siddaramaiah should resign: Justice Santosh Hegde

Former Lokayukta main justness Santosh Hegde, speaking successful Mangaluru, expressed scepticism astir Siddaramaiah’s chances of alleviation from higher courts. “The precocious tribunal has said that determination is prima facie evidence, and I deliberation helium should resign,” helium said.

While rejecting Siddaramaiah’s petition, the precocious tribunal said, “It is hard to judge that CM Siddaramaiah was not ‘behind the curtain’ during the full transaction of MUDA land, successful which his household allegedly benefited astir Rs 56 crores.”

Home Minister G Parameshwara, however, said the Lokayukta was an autarkic body. “They volition analyse the case, but I volition respond lone erstwhile the bid transcript of the tribunal comes,” helium added.

BJP authorities president B Y Vijayendra has called for Siddaramaiah’s resignation, stating that his continuing successful the main minister’s presumption would compromise the investigation.

Protests were held by BJP and JD(S) leaders astatine Freedom Park, with erstwhile premier curate H D Deve Gowda successful attendance. Police stopped the protesters from marching towards the main minister’s authoritative residence.

Krishna, who aboriginal lodged a ailment with the Lokayukta, expressed restitution with the precocious court’s verdict, stating, “I volition archetypal record the FIR and attack the precocious tribunal requesting it to manus implicit the lawsuit to the Central Bureau of Investigation for an impartial investigation.”