Siddaramaiah Faces Land Scam Allegations

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is in hot water as he faces prosecution over alleged land allocation irregularities linked to the Mysuru Urban Development Authority, also known as MUDA.

The controversy revolves around the claim that Siddaramaiah’s wife, BM Parvathi, received unauthorized compensation in the form of land during his previous term as chief minister. This has led to accusations from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that Siddaramaiah is involved in a major land scam.

Social activists are raising alarms, stating that Parvathi was allotted 14 prime sites in Mysuru as compensation for land that was acquired improperly, leading to an alleged loss of Rs 45 crore to the state.

The specific piece of land in question is a 3.16-acre plot in Kesare village. Originally owned by someone else, it was transferred to Siddaramaiah’s brother-in-law, Mallikarjuna Swamy Devaraj, in 2005. Activists contend that this transfer was illegal, claiming that Mallikarjuna used forged documents to acquire the land with help from government officials.

In 2014, while Siddaramaiah was serving as chief minister, Parvathi sought compensation under MUDA’s 50:50 scheme. This scheme allows landholders who lose undeveloped land to receive half that amount in developed land as compensation.

The Karnataka Governor, Thaawarchand Gehlot, has approved a petition for Siddaramaiah’s prosecution based on complaints filed by social activists TJ Abraham, Pradeep Kumar, and Snehamayi Krishna.

Although the Governor initially issued a show cause notice to Siddaramaiah, the state government suggested withdrawing that notice. Siddaramaiah has since dismissed the allegations as politically motivated, asserting that the compensation was rightful and approved when the BJP was in power.

He insists that the land his wife received compensation for was a gift from her brother in 1998, not a result of any nefarious activity.

Meanwhile, the BJP is stepping up scrutiny and has demanded Siddaramaiah’s resignation over the scandal. They accuse him of losses potentially exceeding Rs 3,800 crore linked to this alleged MUDA scam.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has called for a CBI investigation, insisting that the former deputy commissioner highlighted irregularities that were ignored.

In a recent twist, a temporary relief came for Siddaramaiah when the Karnataka High Court ordered a special court in Bengaluru to pause any further proceedings regarding the complaints against him while the legality of the prosecution is debated.

During the court session, Siddaramaiah’s legal team argued that the Governor’s sanction for prosecution was hasty and lacked proper consideration, especially since a detailed response from the Chief Secretary and the Cabinet had previously turned down the request.

The debate is set to continue, with the next hearing scheduled for August 29, as Siddaramaiah seeks to navigate through these turbulent waters.