A bench of Justice Hemant Chandangoudar heard the writ petition filed by the chief minister on an urgent basis and posted the case on August 29 for further hearing.
Petitioner Siddaramaiah, in his petition, has said that the order of sanction granted by Governor of Karnataka is tainted and is part of a concerted effort to destabilise the duly elected government in Karnataka for political reasons, said Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi during the hearing.
Previously, the Karnataka Governor has granted permission to prosecute Siddaramaiah in connection with this scam, adding significant pressure on him.
What you need to know about MUDA scam
The alleged MUDA scam involves the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), where less valuable land in a remote area has reportedly been swapped with prime land.
The case is related to the allocation of an alternative site to CM Siddaramaiah’s wife, Parvathi, in upscale Mysuru city. It is claimed that three acres and 16 guntas of remote land were illegally acquired.
The irregularities were first reported by complainant Snehamayi Krishna, who alleged that MUDA created fake documents to secure plots worth crores of rupees. Opposition parties have seized upon these allegations, claiming the land, worth Rs 3,000 crores, originally belonged to the Dalit community.
How Siddaramaiah responded to the allegations
In response, Siddaramaiah has denied all charges, asserting that all actions were conducted legally. He alleged that MUDA illegally developed a layout on four acres of land owned by Parvathi in Mysuru’s Kesarur, which he claims led to the current controversy.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has called for Siddaramaiah’s resignation, stating, “After taking all aspects into account and opinion of legal experts, the Governor has given sanction for the prosecution of CM Siddaramaiah. It is a due process of law. CM Siddaramaiah should cooperate with the investigation agencies and judiciary. He should step down as Chief Minister.”
Amidst these developments, Siddaramaiah has stated that he has the support of the entire State Cabinet. “The entire Cabinet, party high command, all MLAs, MLCs, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs are with me…,” he said.
