The Lokayukta police on Wednesday said that the charges against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his wife Parvathi could not be proved for want of evidence in the MUDA scam.
The Lokayukta was carrying out an investigation into the alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 housing sites to chief minister Siddaramaiah’s wife by the Mysore Urban Development Authority (Muda) in 2021.
The probing officers said they have submitted the final report to the High Court, according to PTI.
"Since the above allegations against accused-1 to accused-4 in the case have not been proven due to lack of evidence, the final report is being submitted to the High Court," the Lokayukta police said in a letter to activist Snehamayi Krishna who is a complainant in the MUDA case.
Besides Siddaramaiah and his wife, his brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy and the land owner Devaraju are also the accused.
The Lokayukta police said that further investigation will be conducted into the allegations of Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) providing compensatory plots in the ratio of 50:50 from 2016 to 2024 and an additional final report will be submitted to the High Court under Section 173 (8) CrPC, PTI reported.
What is the MUDA scam?
The case stems from the allotment of 14 housing sites, valued at approximately Rs 56 crore, to Siddaramaiah’s wife in 2021. These were granted as compensation by MUDA after a 3.16-acre land parcel gifted to her in 2010 was acquired by the authority in 2014 under alleged wrongful circumstances.
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.
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.
The Lokayukta initiated its probe in September 2024 following a directive from a special court for elected representatives in Bengaluru and was led by Lokayukta superintendent of police TJ Udesh.
The special court had directed an FIR against Siddaramaiah and three others on September 27 last year, based on a petition by social activist Snehamayi Krishna after Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot gave the nod for Siddaramaiah to be investigated. The Karnataka HC upheld the governor's decision.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also probing the matter simultaneously.
(With inputs from PTI)
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