Relief for CM Siddaramaiah as high court nixes plea seeking CBI probe into MUDA case

BENGALURU: In a major relief for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the High Court of Karnataka has dismissed a petition seeking a CBI investigation into the alleged MUDA site allotment scam.

A single-judge bench of Justice Nagaprasanna dismissed the petition, filed by social activist Snehamayi Krishna after taking into consideration three aspects — independence of the Lokayukta, the quality of the investigation and the need for handing over the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation at this juncture.

Lawyer Shathabish Shivanna, representing Siddaramaiah, told Public TV, “Snehamayi Krishna had approached the special court for elected representatives seeking a Lokayukta probe and the Lokayukta police have been given four months time to file a final report. In the meanwhile, he approached the high court seeking a CBI probe”.

#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka | On Karnataka High Court rejecting handing over the investigation of the alleged MUDA scam to the CBI, Legal Advisor to Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, AS Ponnanna, says, “… Under the present facts and circumstances, especially since the complainant… pic.twitter.com/CK1skTPH7v

— ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2025

“The issues considered by the high court include whether the Lokayukta is an independent organisation with institutional autonomy and whether it is susceptible to external influence; Under what circumstances an investigation should be handed over to a central agency; and whether the present case should be handed over to the CBI after considering the materials placed on record”, the lawyer said.

The high court bench had earlier reserved its judgment in the case for Friday. The court also gave the Lokayukta time till next Thursday to submit its final report before the special court for elected representatives.

Meanwhile, reacting to the court order, petitioner Snehamayi Krishna said in Mysuru, “This is definitely a setback, but I will continue my fight and appeal in the Supreme Court after studying the grounds on which the high court rejected my petition. I will continue the legal battle for a CBI probe into the case”.