Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah To Face Charges In MUDA Land Scam, Governor Gehlot Gives Nod

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is set to face prosecution over alleged irregularities in site allocations by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).

Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has sanctioned the prosecution after receiving petitions from activists Pradeep Kumar, TJ Abraham, and Snehamayi Krishna.

Photo Credit: PTI

In a letter from the Governor's Secretariat to the activists, it was stated, "As directed by the Governor, I am enclosing herewith the copy of the decision of the Competent Authority on the request of sanction for prosecution against the Chief Minister Shri Siddaramaiah, under Section 17 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarika Suraksha Samhitha, 2023 for the commission of the alleged offences mentioned in the petitions."

The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) has confirmed receipt of this communication. Siddaramaiah has previously dismissed the charges as "politically motivated."

Last month, the Governor issued a "show-cause notice" to Siddaramaiah, asking him to respond to the allegations within seven days and explain why he should not be prosecuted.

This move led to a state cabinet resolution urging the Governor not to sanction the prosecution, with the Siddaramaiah-led government accusing the Governor of "gross misuse of the Constitutional Office."

The controversy stems from a petition filed by anti-corruption activist TJ Abraham, who accused Siddaramaiah of involvement in a multi-crore scam that allegedly caused significant losses to the state's exchequer.

Abraham's complaint, lodged with the Lokayukta police in July, specifically alleged that the allotment of 14 alternative sites in an upscale Mysuru neighborhood to Siddaramaiah's wife, BM Parvathi, was illegal, resulting in a Rs 45 crore loss to the exchequer. The complaint also named Siddaramaiah's son, S Yathindra, and senior MUDA officials.

Another activist, Snehamayi Krishna, echoed these allegations, claiming that Siddaramaiah, his wife, and MUDA and administrative officials were involved in the land scam.

'A fresh FIR was not filed, as police said the investigation was already underway.

Siddaramaiah defended himself by asserting that the land for which his wife received compensation was gifted by her brother, Mallikarjuna, in 1998.

However, Krishna alleged that Mallikarjuna illegally procured the land in 2004 and registered it using forged documents, with the help of government and revenue officials.

The land was then falsely shown as having been bought in 1998, and Parvathi sought compensation in 2014, during Siddaramaiah's tenure as Chief Minister.

The BJP has been pressing for a CBI probe into the case and recently conducted a weeklong padayatra from Bengaluru to Mysuru to protest against the Congress government.

In response, Siddaramaiah pointed out that his wife was awarded the compensation during the BJP's tenure and insisted that it was her right, asking, "They (BJP) are the ones who gave the site, now if they call it illegal, how should one respond?"