Karnataka Court Orders Lokayukta Probe Against Siddaramaiah

A special court in Karnataka has directed the Lokayukta to investigate Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over alleged irregularities in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land scam case. The court instructed the Lokayukta to submit a report within three months and ordered the competent authorities to file an FIR in the case.

The court’s decision comes a day after the Karnataka High Court dismissed Siddaramaiah’s plea challenging the Governor’s approval for an investigation against him. Justice M Nagaprasanna of the High Court stated it was difficult to believe that Siddaramaiah was not “behind the curtain” during the entire MUDA land transaction, which allegedly benefitted his family by approximately Rs 56 crore.

Siddaramaiah had challenged the investigation approval under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. He argued that the Governor’s sanction order violated statutory mandates and contradicted constitutional principles, including the binding advice of the Council of Ministers under Article 163 of the Constitution of India.

Following the High Court’s verdict, the BJP has demanded Siddaramaiah’s resignation, while the Congress has called it a “conspiracy.”

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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