Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has approved the prosecution of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam, as confirmed by Raj Bhavan sources on Saturday. The decision, which has sparked controversy, will now face a legal challenge as the Karnataka government plans to move the High Court against the Governor’s sanction.
The Governor’s Secretariat issued an order on August 17, stating, “As directed by the Hon’ble Governor, I am enclosing herewith the copy of the decision of the Competent Authority on the request of sanction for prosecution against the Chief Minister Shri. Siddaramaiah, under section 17 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and section 218 of the Bharathiya Nagarika Suraksha Samhitha, 2023 for the commission of the alleged offences mentioned in the petitions.”
The complaint was filed by social activist Snehamayi Krishna, alleging that CM Siddaramaiah and nine others had forged documents to claim compensation from MUDA. Responding to the allegations, CM Siddaramaiah earlier dismissed them as baseless, asserting that all actions related to the MUDA case were conducted in accordance with the law.
“In the case of MUDA, everything was done according to law. I have not exerted any kind of influence on the allotment of the plot. My wife was granted a replacement plot in 2021, during the BJP government’s tenure, as per the law,” Siddaramaiah stated.
He explained that in 2014, while serving as Chief Minister, his wife applied for a replacement site after MUDA had allegedly acquired their land illegally. However, Siddaramaiah said he did not take any action at the time. He accused the BJP and JD(S) parties of making these allegations to destabilize his government.
“Although they tried to conduct Operation Kamala, they are now resorting to this because they cannot undermine the government. They cannot bear to see our government’s guarantee schemes successfully implemented and working for the poor,” Siddaramaiah added.
The Chief Minister also criticized former CM BS Yeddyurappa and his son, state BJP President BY Vijayendra, saying, “Yeddyurappa, who is charge-sheeted in such a case at the age of 82, has no morals to talk about me. He should retire from public life if he has morals. There are more than 20 cases against him, and I will provide detailed information on this.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that Yeddyurappa received bribe money through checks during his tenure and carried out illegal denotifications. He maintained that his government had not engaged in any such irregularities, asserting that the opposition’s repeated false claims would not alter the truth.
Earlier this month, the Congress launched the ‘Jan Andolan Yatra’ in response to the BJP’s padayatra, which highlighted the alleged MUDA scam involving Siddaramaiah’s wife, BM Parvathi. The complaint accuses Siddaramaiah, his wife, and other family members of wrongfully obtaining plots worth crores of rupees through forged documents. The BJP has demanded that the land given to the CM’s family be returned, accusing Siddaramaiah of appropriating lands that belonged to the Dalit community.
