Bengaluru:

Karnataka Lokayukta on Monday submitted the investigation report in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam to the High Court Dharwad bench. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is the accused number one, and his wife B.M. Parvathi is the second accused in the case.

The Mysuru Lokayukta Superintendent of Police, T.J. Udesh submitted the report in a sealed cover to the court. The court had earlier directed the Lokayukta to submit the report without fail in this regard.

The bench took up the hearing of the petition submitted by activist Snehamayi Krishna, seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the MUDA scam.

Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty made a submission before the bench to grant time for placing arguments against the petition and further prayed that this matter could be taken up later when the court resumes functioning in Bengaluru after vacation.

However, the bench refusing to yield, directed the AG to place the arguments without any delay. The AG requested that counsel Kapil Sibal would appear before the court and sought time. The bench, however, stated that the arguments could be placed through video conferencing. The AG then submitted that there was a technical issue with the video conferencing, following which the bench directed to fix the issue and place the arguments in the day only.

Senior Counsel Dushyanth Dave appearing for the fourth accused, land owner J. Devaraju in the MUDA case, submitted that his client is not facing criminal charges and, in this background, there is no necessity for the CBI probe. He further submitted that the petition had been filed to embarrass Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

“The petitioner earlier sought the Lokayukta investigation before the court and when the Lokayukta investigation was progressing, he submitted a petition seeking the CBI probe. The court should not waste a single moment over the petition,” he argued. he added that while filing the complaint, the petitioner concealed many facts related to the case. “The petitioner has concealed the order of mutation and revenue department documents which prove that Devaraju was the owner of the property,” Dave said.

Earlier, counsel Manindar Singh appeared for petitioner Snehamayi Krishna and concluded his submission over the matter. He submitted to the court how until the writ petition was filed before the court, the FIR was not registered in the case.

Commenting on the development, Snehamayi Krishna stated, “I have full confidence that the case would be handed over to the CBI. The Lokayukta is not conducting the investigation appropriately. We have submitted the evidence and documents to prove that Lokayukta sleuths are colluded with the accused persons in the case.”

“In this backdrop and taking the rampant corruption into consideration, based on the evidence and documents submitted in this regard, we are hoping that today the court will hand over the case to the CBI,” he stated.

When asked about rumours claiming that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his wife Parvathi may get a clean chit in the Lokayukta investigation, Snehamayi Krishna stated, “I don’t have official information on this. I got to know through the media. It is impossible to give a clean chit to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. We have provided enough documents to prove charges against him.”

“The news is that officers are being fixed in the MUDA scam. I want to question, how is that the officers, who do not make any mistakes in other cases, commit mistakes in matters connected to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. It shows that they are influenced,” he stated.

“I have not filed a complaint on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his family alone. I have taken that as an example and filed a complaint on the illegal allotment of thousands of sites by the MUDA to influential people. Many politicians, powerful and officers are involved in the scam. I have requested for comprehensive probe,” Krishna stated.

“Against this backdrop, I am vouching for the CBI probe. I would not have insisted on the CBI probe, if it would have been just the case of allotment of 14 sites to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sites illegally,” he said.

When asked whether Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would resign if the matter is handed over to the CBI, he stated, “I hope that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah resigns from his post once the matter is handed over to the CBI. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is suffering setbacks legally and we are emerging victorious. If the court hands over the case to the CBI, it would be a serious setback for him. Considering the actions that follow, he might tender resignation or the party high command might ask him to step down,” he stated.

It is alleged that Siddaramaiah used his political influence to get compensation for 14 sites in the name of his wife B.M. Parvathi in lieu of three acres and 16 guntas of land acquired by the MUDA.

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a notice to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife B.M. Parvathi, the second accused in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam. The Enforcement Directorate has also issued a notice to the Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh, the close confidante of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, sources confirmed on Monday.

Sources reveal that the Enforcement Directorate had issued notice to Chief Minister’s wife on January 23 and directed his wife Parvathi to appear before the Enforcement Directorate officials on January 27 (Monday). Minister Suresh has also been asked to appear before the Enforcement Directorate sleuths.

Following this, Chief Minister’s wife Parvathi and Minister Suresh have approached the Karnataka High Court questioning the summons issued to them by the Enforcement Directorate.

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”.

Bengaluru:

The Karnataka government on Sunday ordered the formation of an inquiry commission into the alleged alternative site scam in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).

According to the order, High Court judge (retd) Justice P N Desai will head the single-member commission.

The commission will be required to complete the inquiry and submit its report to the state government within six months.

The departments concerned and the MUDA officials will have to cooperate with the investigation by providing the necessary documents and information to Justice Desai, the order said.

The government passed the order late Sunday night ahead of the Legislature session, which will start on July 15 and culminate on July 26.

The scam gathered steam after the BJP alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi was one of the beneficiaries of alternative sites (plots).

Siddaramaiah categorically rejected the allegation and claimed that MUDA “illegally” took over the four acres land belonging to his wife and formed a layout without her permission.

The CM said MUDA compensated them by providing them alternative plots.

The BJP has raised doubts about the claim saying how can MUDA touch such a “high profile” property.

The party has pegged the size of the scam somewhere around Rs 3,000 crore.

The BJP staged a demonstration over the matter in Mysuru on Friday.

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