Fresh Fraud Allegations Against Karnataka Chief Minister in BBMP Case

Adding to the challenges faced by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, a new private complaint has been filed against him and others related to alleged fraudulent activities exceeding ₹68 crore against the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). The complaint was lodged in the Special Court for MLAs/MPs in Bengaluru.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Right to Information (RTI) activist, N.R. Ramesh, submitted the complaint on Friday, seeking permission from the court to initiate a criminal case against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and others. The complaint names several individuals, including Minister of Energy K.J. George, former Principal Secretaries Lakshminarayan and Major P. Manivannan, and former BBMP Commissioner Manjunath Prasad as parties involved.

Ramesh filed the memorandum of complaint under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. He stated that during Siddaramaiah’s previous tenure from 2013 to 2018, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Lokayukta received complaints against his government. The grievances highlight the use of 493 BBMP bus shelters for governmental promotions without compensation, causing a loss of ₹68.14 crore in advertisement fees to the BBMP.

Ramesh emphasized that BBMP, which has limited revenue streams such as property tax and advertisement fees, spends heavily on its operational expenses, including salaries and infrastructure maintenance. He alleged that despite a ‘Demand Notice’ demanding payment of ₹12.98 crore issued on July 5, 2017, the Siddaramaiah government ignored the notice.

After Siddaramaiah resumed office as Chief Minister, Ramesh alleged that the complaint regarding the ₹68.14 crore advertisement fee was discretely closed by the Lokayukta police under his influence on July 26, 2024, disregarding substantial evidence presented. Consequently, Ramesh filed a ‘Private Complaint’ in the Special Court for People’s Representatives to challenge the abrupt case closure.

Further, the Chief Minister is also facing allegations related to the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case and has sought relief from the High Court against an order by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to prosecute him. The high court is yet to deliver a decision on the matter.