BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday scheduled the next hearing on a plea seeking a direction to transfer the investigation into the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The court was hearing a plea that sought an investigation by the CBI into the alleged MUDA scam, presently being investigated by the Lokayukta police. Senior advocate K G Raghavan requested a CBI enquiry and said that the petitioner is seeking a investigation by an independent agency which doesn’t come under the influence of the state government or the Chief Minister.
Last Thursday, the Karnataka HC had adjourned the hearing of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s plea challenging the court’s order to uphold the Governor’s decision against him in the alleged MUDA scam to January 20.
CM Siddaramaiah had challenged the single-bench order of HC that had dismissed his petition on September 23, challenging the approval given by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot for conducting an investigation against him in the alleged illegalities in MUDA allotting sites to his wife.
In that judgment, Justice Nagaprasanna said that the order of sanction for prosecution does not suffer from non-application of mind by the Governor. Siddaramaiah, in his petition, had questioned the legality of the sanction granted by the Governor permitting investigation against him under Section 17 A of the Prevention of Corruption Act and prosecution under Section 218 of Bharatiya Nagarik Surakha Sanhita, 2023.
It is alleged that MUDA illegally allotted 14 sites to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife in a prime location of Mysuru city. Currently, the Mysuru Lokayukta SP is investigating the MUDA scam following a September 27 court order to file an FIR.
The ED has also filed a money laundering case against Siddaramaiah and others. This case was prompted by a First Information Report (FIR) from the state Lokayukta concerning the MUDA, placing the Chief Minister in a difficult situation.
Despite mounting allegations, Siddaramaiah has denied any wrongdoing, calling the case politically motivated. He has refused to resign despite ongoing pressure from the BJP. (ANI)