MUDA Land Scam: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, His Wife Get Clean Chit From Lokayukta

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his wife, Parvathi B M, on Wednesday got a clean chit in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case. The Lokayukta Police said no evidence was found against them or others involved. The final report has been submitted to the High Court, confirming the lack of evidence.

The MUDA case revolves around alleged irregularities in allotting 14 sites to Parvathi by MUDA. These sites were located in a high-value area of Mysuru, specifically Vijayanagar Layout's third and fourth stages. This location had a higher property value compared to the original land location acquired by MUDA.

Allegations and Accusations

Besides Siddaramaiah and Parvathi, other accused include Mallikarjuna Swamy, Siddaramaiah's brother-in-law, and Devaraju, from whom Swamy purchased land. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also investigating these alleged irregularities alongside the Lokayukta.

The controversy arose when it was claimed that Parvathi received compensatory plots under a 50:50 scheme. This scheme allowed MUDA to allocate 50% of developed land to those whose undeveloped land was acquired for residential layouts. However, it was alleged that Parvathi lacked legal title over the 3.16 acres of land at survey number 464 in Kasare village.

Legal Proceedings and Future Investigations

The Lokayukta police mentioned that further investigations would continue regarding MUDA's compensatory plot allocations from 2016 to 2024. An additional report will be submitted to the High Court under Section 173 (8) CrPC as part of this ongoing inquiry.

In response to the controversy, Parvathi announced her decision to return the allotted plots to MUDA. This move came after questions about her legal claim over the land surfaced, adding another layer to the complex case.

The allegations against Siddaramaiah and others have not been proven due to insufficient evidence. "Since the above allegations against accused-1 to accused-4 in the case have not been proven due to lack of evidence, the final report is being submitted to the High Court," stated a letter from Lokayukta police addressed to activist Snehamayi Krishna, who filed the complaint.