MUDA case: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah breaks silence after court orders probe by Lokayukta police against him

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has reiterated that he was ready to face an investigation in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment case. Reacting to Special Court ordering a Lokayukta police investigation against him in the case, the Chief Minister said he was not afraid of a probe.

“Already I have said that I am ready to face an investigation. I am not afraid of a probe,” Siddaramaiah told reporters in Bengaluru. “I am ready for a legal fight. I had said this yesterday and I am reiterating it today as well.” Siddaramaiah said the matter has been referred to the Mysuru Lokayukta police by the Special Court because the complaint was lodged in Mysuru and MUDA is also located in that city.

It has come to my attention through the media that the Special Court for Elected Representatives has ordered an investigation by the Mysuru Lokayukta. I will provide a detailed response after reviewing the full copy of the order.

I am ready to face the investigation and continue…

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) September 25, 2024

The order of the Special Court Judge, Santhosh Gajanan Bhat, came a day after the High Court upheld the sanction granted by the Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to conduct an investigation against Siddaramaiah on the allegations of illegalities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife B M Parvathi by MUDA.

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In the MUDA site allotment case, it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by the MUDA.

The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where it developed a residential layout. Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50 per cent of developed land to the land losers in lieu of undeveloped land acquired from them for forming residential layouts. It is alleged that Parvathi had no legal title over this 3.16 acres of land at survey number 464 of Kasare village, Kasaba hobli of Mysuru taluk.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from PTI)