Karnataka Lokayukta to Probe CM Siddaramaiah in MUDA Case

A special court in Bengaluru has directed the Lokayukta police to investigate Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over allegations of irregularities in the allotment of Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) sites. Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat instructed the police to submit the investigation report by December 24. This decision follows the Karnataka High Court’s recent ruling, which upheld Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s sanction for the inquiry.

The court issued its directive under Section 156(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). This section allows a magistrate to order investigations into cognizable offenses. In response to the probe, Siddaramaiah stated, “I am ready to face an investigation. I am not afraid of a probe.” He emphasized his commitment to engaging in a legal battle.

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The High Court dismissed Siddaramaiah’s plea that challenged the governor’s August 16 order, which allowed the investigation under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Activists Pradeep Kumar S P, T J Abraham, and Snehamayi Krishna had filed complaints alleging that the Chief Minister benefited from illegal allotments of MUDA plots.

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In response to the High Court’s ruling, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called for Siddaramaiah’s resignation to facilitate an impartial investigation. Senior BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar said, “The High Court has validated the action of the governor. We demand that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah step down.” Siddaramaiah dismissed these calls, labeling the allegations a politically motivated conspiracy. He questioned, “Why should I resign when others have not?” He concluded, “We will face them politically because it is a conspiracy.”