Karnataka high court allows ED to proceed with probe in MUDA land allotment case

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday permitted the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to continue the investigation into the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allotment case.

The High Court pronounced the order on application filed by the ED seeking to stay a single judge’s order which quashed summons issued to D B Natesh former MUDA Commissioner during whose tenure alleged illegal allotment of land was made to CM Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi.

The Karnataka High Court ordered that the ED shall be at liberty to utilise all the documents and materials which may have been gathered, recovered or seized at the place of the petitioner, as well as to utilise the statement of the petitioner for the purpose of the rest of the investigation in accordance with the law. All the investigations under the Act are permitted to be carried out in accordance with law, notwithstanding the judgment of the single judge impugned in the appeal.

The court also stated that the ED is entitled to proceed and carry on the investigation against the other accused in accordance with the law. “The present application is disposed”, the court said.

Natesh was accused of allotting plots to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi when he was MUDA Commissioner. Natesh has been accused of illegally allotting 928 plots in the ratio of 50:50 from MUDA.

The case relates to the alleged allotment of 14 plots by MUDA to Siddaramaiah’s wife in 2021, which are located in the Vijayanagara area of Mysuru. In response, the ED is investigating the allegation that the MUDA had acquired 3.16 acres of land owned by Parvathi in Kesare village.

On October 29, 2024, the ED raided Natesh’s house and questioned him on the MUDA scam. Following the inquiry, Natesh has been taken into custody by the ED officials, who have taken him to the ED office in Shantinagar. (ANI)