Karnataka HC Orders Investigation Against CM Siddaramaiah Under PC Act
BENGALURU: In a setback to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday upheld Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot's approval for investigation against him in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (Muda) site allotment case, leading to Opposition parties calling for his resignation.
The bench observed that the Governor’s actions on August 16 of sanctioning the prosecution request against the CM in the alleged Muda land scam "showed no fault.”
Siddaramaiah said the development was an act of vendetta by the BJP. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar threw his weight behind Siddaramaiah and rubbished all reports of the CM resigning.
The Karnataka BJP unit termed the high court judgment “a slap to the scamsters” and said the court had slammed CM Siddaramaiah for abuse of power and undue influence, stating that without his position, such benefits would never have come.
Earlier, a single bench of Justice M. Nagaprasanna ordered conduct of the enquiry against Siddaramaiah under Section 17A of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 while rejecting prosecution of the Chief Minister under Section 218 of Bharatiya Nagaraika Suraksha Samhita, 2023 and also under Section 19 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The CM had challenged the grant of prosecution in the High Court and had obtained interim relief
on August 19. In the writ petition, Siddaramaiah stated his wife Parvathi had been compensated for having lost her land to the Muda and the authority had agreed to compensate her with 38,284 sq ft land in lieu of the 1,48,104 sq ft of lost land.
The Governor had granted the prosecution against the Chief Minister based on petitions filed by activists T.J. Abraham, Pradeep Kumar and Snehamayi Krishna.
Snehamayi on Tuesday said, “It’s a victory for justice. Will continue my legal fight in the case."
Reacting to the verdict of the High Court, state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra sought the resignation of Siddaramaiah.