Bengaluru:

Karnataka anti-corruption watchdog Lokayukta said Wednesday it had found no evidence incriminating Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, or his wife, in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority land scam case.

In a notice to the complainant – Snehamayi Krishna, one three anti-corruption activists who wrote last year to Governor Thawarchand Gehlot, seeking Siddaramaiah’s prosecution – the Lokayukta said there is no material to prove charges against the ex-Chief Minister and the other accused – his wife, BM Parvathi, his brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy, and Devaraju, who owned the plots in question.

“Since allegations against Accused No 1 (Siddaramaiah) to Accused No 4 have not been proven due to lack of evidence, the final report is being submitted to the High Court,” the Lokayukta told Krishna.

Krishna has been given a week to respond, after which the Lokayukta will submit a final report.

However, compensatory land allotments by MUDA between 2016 and 2024 – including those to Siddaramaiah’s wife, BM Parvathi, when too he was Chief Minister, and which are at the heart of the controversy – will remain “under scrutiny”, and a supplementary report will be given to the court.

The MUDA land scam pertains to allotment of land to Siddaramaiah’s wife.

Anti-corruption activists had alleged irregularities in the process – the grant of plots in a posh neighbourhood in Mysuru in exchange for land on the outskirts – cost the state Rs 45 crore.

They wrote to the Governor, in accordance with the law, to file a case the Chief Minister. That request was approved, but the Governor’s nod was swiftly challenged in the Karnataka High Court.

In September the court rejected the challenge and upheld the Governor’s order.

The case against Siddaramaiah was filed 24 hours later.

The Chief Minister has repeatedly denied any impropriety in these transactions, claiming the 14 plots of land allotted to his wife were, in fact, gifts from her brother.

These complaints named the Chief Minister and his wife, as well as his son S Yathindra and senior officials from the urban development body. In the ensuing fallout, MUDA chief K Mari Gowda, who is known to be close to Siddaramaiah, stepped down, saying he had been “instructed” to do so.

This was after the Chief Minister’s wife offered to surrender the parcels of land in question, and MUDA agreed to re-take possession on condition it would not affect the course of the investigation.

The clean chit, although not confirmed yet, for Siddaramaiah will be seen as a massive political win for the ruling Congress, which came under heavy fire from the BJP after the allegations broke cover.

The BJP and the JDU, a former Congress ally now with the saffron party, had demanded Siddaramaiah resign and called on the Central Bureau of Investigation to take up the case.

Any CBI action, though, was pre-empted by the state withdrawing general consent, on grounds it is “biased”, for the federal agency to act on its territory, a move criticised by the opposition.

Siddaramaiah had then refused to resign, pointing out the investigation into charges against him had uncovered nothing and he had not yet been convicted of any crime.

“I will fight. I am not afraid of anything. We are ready to face the investigation. I will fight this legally,” he said after the Karnataka High Court had quashed his challenge to the Governor’s sanction.

With input from agencies

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Bengaluru:

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Tuesday that he is confident of getting justice by the judiciary in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam.

Siddaramaiah is the accused number one and his wife BM Parvathi is named as the second accused in the case.

The Dharwad bench of Karnataka High Court has reserved the matter for judgment in the petition seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the MUDA case.

Answering a query on whether he has any concerns over the development, Siddaramaiah said, “Why should I be concerned? How will I know what will be the verdict by the judge? Why should I be worried? I have faith that I will get justice.”

Asked about the stay on the notice issued to his wife Parvathi by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Chief Minister said, “The court has stayed the notice issued by the ED. The judge has questioned the ED on what is the hurry in this regard. The court had further observed that the investigation is ongoing and the matter is being reserved for judgment on whether to hand over the case to the CBI. The court had said that the hurry in this regard at this stage is inappropriate.”

Answering a query on whether the issue of notice by the ED is politically motivated, he said, “Is it not? The entire MUDA case itself is politically motivated.”

The Dharwad bench of Karnataka High Court, headed by Justice M. Nagaprasanna, on Monday stayed the summons issued by the ED to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife, B.M. Parvathi, and State Urban Development Minister, Byrathi Suresh, in connection with the MUDA land scam.

The bench questioned the urgency of the ED’s actions, asking, “What is the tearing hurry?” while passing the order.

Siddaramaiah’s wife, Parvathi, who has been named as the second accused in the case, was asked to appear before the ED on Tuesday (January 28).

Minister Byrathi Suresh, a close confidant of the Chief Minister, was scheduled to appear before ED officers on Monday.

Both Parvathi and Suresh had separately approached the court, seeking relief and requesting a stay on the ED summons.

The High Court granted a stay on the ED’s summons until February 10, pending the next hearing in the case.

The Dharwad bench of the Karnataka High Court, headed by Justice M. Nagaprasanna, had reserved its judgment on Monday regarding the petition seeking an investigation by the CBI into the MUDA scam. This decision followed the conclusion of arguments and counterarguments in the case.

It has been alleged that Siddaramaiah used his political influence to secure compensation for 14 sites in the name of his wife in exchange for 3 acres and 16 guntas of land acquired by the MUDA.

The petitioner, Snehamayi Krishna, objected to the ongoing probe by the Karnataka Lokayukta and sought a CBI investigation into the scam.

While reserving the matter for judgment, the bench also directed the Karnataka Lokayukta to continue its investigation into the MUDA scam and to submit its further report on the day of the judgment.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai (Maharashtra):

BJP leader Shaina NC hit out at the ruling Congress and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam, saying there is “enough evidence” for the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) to do its “job.”

The ED which started a probe against the Karnataka CM in connection with the alleged MUDA land allotment scam has filed the chargesheet on Tuesday.

“There is ample evidence, whether it is the resignation of the chairman, or the Karnataka CM offering to return the land as received by compensation, and the fact that money was distributed in the Lok Sabha election, is enough evidence for the ED to do its job and file its chargesheet,” she told ANI on Wednesday.

Calling the MUDA scam as a “huge corruption pile,” she said, “The MUDA scam is a huge corruption pile and the chairman has resigned. The Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has offered to return the land in terms of compensation. This makes it amply clear that there was corruption.”

#WATCH | Mumbai: BJP leader Shaina NC says, “The MUDA scam is a huge corruption pile and the chairman has resigned. The Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has offered to return the land in terms of compensation. This makes it amply clear that there was corruption…The chargesheet… pic.twitter.com/9HjqOxEtmx

— ANI (@ANI) October 16, 2024

Earlier, MUDA chairman, Mari Gowda tendered his resignation citing health issues.

“I have given my resignation to the Secretary of the Urban Development Department, the CM instructed me to resign, so I have resigned. My health is not good, so I resigned. MUDA investigation is ongoing. Let the investigation take place. The investigation will reveal the truth. There is no pressure on me. I resigned due to ill health. The CM has not put any pressure on me regarding the issue” Mr Gowda said.

Additionally, BJP MP Sambit Patra also hit out at the Karnataka CM, saying, “Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah had offered to return the land he received as compensation. Both these things make it clear that Congress leader Siddaramaiah is embroiled in the MUDA scam head to toe. The ED filed a chargesheet yesterday. The chargesheet says that Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Schedule Tribes Development Corporation’s fund which was meant for the SC/ST was diverted for Lok Sabha polls.”

Also Read: Siddaramaiah Tampered With MUDA Case Evidence, Alleges Fresh Complaint

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bengaluru:

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah – battling vehement calls to quit over the alleged Mysuru land scam – counterattacked Friday, flagging Janata Dal Secular boss HD Kumaraswamy and asking why his party’s ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party, had not demanded his resignation too.

“Which government does HD Kumaraswamy belong to? There is an FIR… why did he not resign? He is a minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet,” he said Friday afternoon. Mr Kumaraswamy faces a police case over claims he provided “false information” before the Lok Sabha election.

The JDS boss is currently the Union Heavy Industries Minister. He lost no time in hitting back on X, beginning with a “‘uighe, uighe to your sidvilasa” – which translates roughly as mocking praise.

He pointed to attempts by Siddaramaiah’s earlier government to form an Anti-Corruption Bureau by clipping the state Lokayukta’s wings, and contrasted that with him now trying to ensure the Lokayukta, and not the CBI, a federal agency, conducts inquiries against him.

“Isn’t this karma, Mr Siddaramaiah? ACB was also dismissed by the High Court… and now you have sidelined the Lokayukta and closed the door for the CBI to enter the state…” he jeered, referring to a 2022 verdict that said the then state government could not set up an ACB as a Lokayukta is operating.

Mr. @siddaramaiah..
Ughe Ughe to your ‘Sidvilasa’

Then: To escape from scams, you build a ‘samadhi’ for Lokayukta and formed ACB!

Now: The same Lokayukta is a place you found to get rid of ‘Mudahagaran’!!

Isn’t it Karma Mr siddaramaiah?
ACB was also dismissed by the High Court…

— ಹೆಚ್.ಡಿ.ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ | H.D.Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) September 27, 2024

Siddaramaiah’s jab at HD Kumaraswamy underlines the pressure – from the BJP, the JDS, and even by some within his own party – the Chief Minister faces in his battle to retain his post.

READ | “Request…”: Under-Fire Siddaramaiah Faces ‘Quit’ Calls From Within Party

So far, though, he is defiant. On Thursday, after a special court ordered a police case and directed the Lokayukta to finish inquiries in three months, he declared “I am not afraid”.

“I will fight. I am not afraid of anything. We are ready to face the investigation. I will fight this legally,” he said after a second setback in as many days. On Wednesday the High Court had quashed his challenge to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot’s sanction to prosecute a sitting Chief Minister.

READ | “Governor’s Action As Per Law”: Big Setback For Siddaramaiah

The Chief Minister on Thursday also hit out at Mr Modi after the Prime Minister’s sharp comments about the Congress government in Karnataka at a rally in poll-bound Haryana.

Prime Minister @narendramodi, in his usual reckless manner, has claimed there is infighting within the Karnataka Congress. It seems the PM has either misread or deliberately twisted the recent media reports, confusing BJP’s internal chaos with Congress. I demand that he…

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) September 26, 2024

In a lengthy post on X Siddaramaiah told the PM “don’t throw stones while sitting in a glass house”, pointing to what he said was infighting in his party’s state unit.

MUDA Land Scam Case  

Siddaramaiah faces an inquiry into claims his wife, Parvathi, was allotted multiple plots of land in an upmarket Mysuru area as compensation for land elsewhere – an exchange that allegedly cost the state losses of at least Rs 4,000 crore – taken for infrastructure projects.

He has firmly denied the charge; last month he said he had not done anything illegal in a political career of four decades, and expressed confidence the judiciary would absolve him.

READ | “In 40 Years Did Nothing Wrong”: Siddaramaiah Amid Land Scam Row

The Chief Minister, who has been firmly backed by his party; his deputy, DK Shivakumar; and members of his Cabinet, has also, so far, dismissed calls to summon the CBI, insisting the inquiry will be handled by the Mysuru branch of the state Lokayukta.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, his government withdrew general consent for the federal agency in a move many see as a pre-emptive measure in case the High Court orders a CBI probe.

READ | “CBI Biased”: Karnataka Withdraws Permission To Operate In State

The agency now cannot investigate in Karnataka without the state government’s permission.

Law Minister HK Patil refused any link between this move and the land scam allegations facing the Chief Minister, expressing, as many other opposition parties have, “concerns about the misuse of the agency”. “They are biased… that is why are taking this decision,” he said.

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Bengaluru:

“I am not afraid…” Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah declared Wednesday, shortly after a trial court said a police case must be filed against him – based on a complaint by activist Snehamayi Krishna – in connection with the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority land scam case.

Earlier today the Special Court of the People’s Representatives had directed the state’s Lokayukta to conduct an inquiry and submit a report in three months. The Chief Minister’s response was swift. “I will fight. I am not afraid of anything. We are ready to face the investigation. I will fight this legally.”

However, the activist whose complaint will feed the case against the Chief Minister is not fully satisfied, and has said he wants the investigation to “happen by the CBI only”. “The court said the probe will happen by Lokayukta but, once FIR is filed… we will approach Karnataka High Court,” he declared. 

The Chief Minister will now face an inquiry into claims his wife, Parvathi, was allotted multiple plots of land in an upmarket Mysuru area as compensation for land elsewhere – an exchange that allegedly cost the state losses of at least Rs 4,000 crore – taken for infrastructure projects.

Siddaramaiah has firmly denied the charge; last month he said he had not done anything illegal in a political career spanning four decades, and expressed confidence the judiciary would absolve him.

This is the second setback to the Congress leader in as many days; on Tuesday the High Court dismissed his challenge to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot sanctioning his prosecution in the MUDA case. Siddaramaiah argued Mr Gehlot did not “apply his mind”, but the court disagreed, ruling the Governor “did apply his mind in abundance”. “No fault in the Governor’s actions,” the court said.

READ | “Governor’s Action As Per Law”: Big Setback For Siddaramaiah

In passing its order, the High Court also rolled back its August 19 order to the trial court – to not take action against the Chief Minister till his petition claiming Mr Gehlot’s action as “illegal” is settled.

After the order Siddaramaiah underlined his confidence in the judicial system and slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “revenge politics”, stating, “I believe in the law… The truth will finally win.”

The MUDA land scam row has become a major flashpoint, with the BJP and its ally, the Janata Dal Secular, targeting the ruling Congress and demanding Siddaramaiah’s resignation.

On Tuesday, after the High Court’s verdict, the BJP held vociferous protests across the state once again calling on the Chief Minister to quit. The party’s state unit boss, BY Vijayendra, pointed to the court’s ruling and slammed the Congress for saying the allegations are a “political conspiracy”.

READ | “Siddaramaiah Must Quit”: BJP After Chief Minister’s Land Scam Setback

“BJP has been relentlessly fighting against the corrupt Congress government… the High Court has clearly said the decision by the Governor is correct. The Chief Minister should resign immediately…”

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi called the verdict a “slap on the Congress government and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah”. “The Karnataka High Court has answered all questions that were raised (and now) Siddaramaiah should resign, so an impartial investigation can be conducted by the CBI…”

Ramping up pressure on Siddaramaiah, BJP workers tried to gherao Siddaramaiah’s Bengaluru residence, prompting police – who had been placed on high alert – to take dozens into custody.

The BJP-Congress face-off over the MUDA scam allegations also comes as the two parties go head-to-head in next week’s Haryana Assembly election and the ongoing election in Jammu and Kashmir.

It also drew sharp barbs from Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally in Haryana’s Sonipat this afternoon; Mr Modi referred to the Congress’ Karnataka government and criticised Siddaramaiah.

The Congress, meanwhile, has come out swinging in support of Siddaramaiah. The party has claimed a “conspiracy” against its Chief Minister, pointing to corruption allegations that have landed other opposition leaders – including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal – in jail.

#WATCH | Bengaluru: Karnataka HC dismisses petition by CM Siddaramaiah challenging Governor’s sanction for his prosecution in alleged MUDA scam.

Deputy CM DK Shivakumar says, “I am telling you again, there is no setback to the CM. It is a big conspiracy on all our leaders,… pic.twitter.com/VpLcSWUDyi

— ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2024

Immediately after the High Court verdict Siddaramaiah’s deputy, DK Shivakumar, who is also the Congress’ state unit boss, said “there is no question (of the Chief Minister resigning)… he has not done anything wrong and is not involved in any scam. This is a political conspiracy by the BJP…”

Siddaramaiah has also been backed by his ministers, including Priyank Kharge, who is the son of Congress boss Mallikarjun Kharge, and Ramalinga Reddy, who said his boss is “100 per cent clean”.

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New Delhi:

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today said he has done “no wrong”, hours after Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot granted sanction for his prosecution in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment ‘scam’.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Siddaramaiah said the Governor’s decision was “anti-Constitution” and “against the law”. 

“It will be questioned in court. I have done no wrong to resign,” he told reporters in Bengaluru as the Opposition demanded his resignation.

“The entire Cabinet, party high command, all MLAs, MLCs, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs are with me,” the senior Congress leader said.

Mr Siddaramaiah also called it a “conspiracy to dislodge democratically elected government by the BJP, JD(S), and others”.

Mr Gehlot has sanctioned his prosecution in the MUDA land scam case after petitions by three activists – Pradeep Kumar, TJ Abraham, and Snehamayi Krishna.

In a complaint filed with the Lokayukta police in July, Mr Abraham alleged that the allotment of 14 alternative sites in an upscale Mysuru neighbourhood to Mr Siddaramaiah’s wife BM Parvathi was illegal, which caused the exchequer a Rs 45 crore loss.

The complaint named Mr Siddaramaiah, his wife, son S Yathindra, and senior MUDA officials.

Another activist, Snehamayi Krishna also alleged the involvement of Mr Siddaramaiah, his wife, and MUDA and administrative officials in the alleged land scam. A fresh FIR was not filed as the police said a probe was already underway in the case.

Mr Siddaramaiah had claimed that the land for which his wife received compensation, was gifted by her brother Mallikarjuna in 1998. But activist Krishna alleged that Mallikarjuna had procured it illegally in 2004 and got it registered using forged documents with the help of government and revenue officials. The land was shown to have been bought in 1998.

Ms Parvathi sought compensation for this land in 2014 when Mr Siddaramaiah was Chief Minister.

“Conspiracy”: DK Shivakumar Backs Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday called it a “conspiracy” and said the state government will put all their weight behind Mr Siddaramaiah.

“We will fight it legally and we will fight it politically as well… This is nothing but a clear conspiracy against backward-class Siddaramaiah who is running the government for the second time,” he told reporters.

“They (BJP) are trying to destabilise the government by using the Governor’s office. This is unfortunate… There is no question of him resigning. He will continue in the post,” he said at the press conference.

Speaking to reporters, Karnataka Minister Krishna Byregowda also said the procedure adopted by the Governor was “completely illegal”.