Karnataka Governor gives nod to prosecute CM Siddaramaiah in MUDA 'scam'

Bengaluru: In what could spell trouble for Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramiah, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Saturday granted permission to prosecute Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam, according to the Raj Bhavan sources on Saturday.
Challenging the move, the Karnataka government said they will move the High Court against the governor's permission for prosecution
An order issued by the Karnataka Governor's Secretariat on August 17 read, "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.'
Earlier, a complaint was filed by social activist Snehamayi Krishna against Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and nine others for allegedly forging documents to claim compensation from the Mysuru Urban Development Authority.
Earlier in the month, refuting the allegations, CM Siddaramaiah said," 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 has been given a replacement plot in 2021 during the government period of the BJP government as per the law."
"In 2014, when I was the Chief Minister, my wife applied for a replacement site as Muda had illegally acquired our land. At that time I did not take any action in this regard. BJP and JDS parties are making allegations against me intending to destabilize the government. Although they tried to conduct Operation Kamala, they are doing this because they cannot destabilize the government. They cannot bear to see our government guarantee schemes successfully implemented in the last year and working for the poor."
CM Siddaramaiah had also attacked the former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa and his son BY Vijayendra who is the state BJP President.
"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, I am going to give detailed information about this," CM Siddaramaiah said.
He had said, "Yeddyurappa had received bribe money through checks during his tenure. Denotification was done illegally. We have not committed any such irregularities. Opposition parties cannot make truth by telling lies continuously. We believe that truth is the ultimate victory."
Earlier in the month, Congress started the 'Jan Andolan Yatra' to counter the BJP padayatra highlighting the alleged MUDA "scam" involving Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah's wife BM Parvathi.
The complaint alleges wrongdoing by Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathy, his brother-in-law Malikarjuna Swamy Devaraj, who claimed to be a landowner, and his family. It was further alleged that MUDA created fake documents and obtained plots worth crores of rupees. Snehamayi Krishna has raised several questions in his complaint.
The BJP demands that the land given to the CM's family should be returned. The opposition accused Siddaramaiah of usurping the lands that belonged to the Dalit community.