Special court orders Lokayukta probe against Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru, September 25

A special court here on Wednesday ordered a Lokayukta police probe against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment case, setting the stage for filing of an FIR against him.

The order of the special court judge, Santhosh Gajanan Bhat, came a day after the high court upheld the sanction granted by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to conduct an investigation against Siddaramaiah on the allegations of illegalities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife BM Parvathi by MUDA.

Not afraid of probe

I have already said that I am ready to face an investigation. I am not afraid of a probe. I am ready for a legal fight. —Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Chief Minister

Reacting to the order, Siddaramaiah reiterated that he was ready to face an investigation. “I have already said that I am ready to face an investigation. I am not afraid of a probe. I am ready for a legal fight. I had said this yesterday and I am reiterating it today,” he said.

Home Minister G Parameshwara said Lokayukta police was an independent body. “It is not under anyone’s mercy, they will investigate independently.”

The special court, set up exclusively to deal with criminal cases related to former and elected MPs/MLAs, issued the order, directing the Lokayukta police in Mysuru to initiate an investigation on the complaint filed by RTI activist Snehamayi Krishna. It issued directions to file the investigation report by December 24.

The high court had also vacated its August 19 interim order directing the special court to defer the decision on complaints against the Chief Minister, giving the green signal for ordering a probe. It had dismissed Siddaramaiah’s petition challenging the legality of the Governor’s order granting approval for investigation under the PMLA. — PTI