Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has issued a notice to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife BM Parvathy, his brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy, the Union government, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the state government, the state police chief, Lokayukta police, and others, in connection with a petition requesting the transfer of a corruption case from the Lokayukta police to the CBI. The petition, filed by social worker Snehamayi Krishna, calls for an independent, transparent, and impartial investigation into an alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam.
The case concerns the illegal allotment of 14 compensatory sites to Siddaramaiah’s wife, Parvathy, by MUDA. The Lokayukta police currently oversee the investigation, but Krishna’s petition argues that Siddaramaiah wields significant influence over state agencies, including the police and the Lokayukta. This influence, the petition alleges, could compromise the impartiality of the investigation, as there may be pressure on investigating officers to deliver favorable outcomes for the Chief Minister.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna of the Karnataka High Court ordered that notice be issued after reviewing arguments from the petitioner’s counsel. The court directed all respondents to file any objections to the transfer request and asked the Lokayukta police to submit an update on their investigation by November 26, the next scheduled hearing.
Krishna’s petition references a previous ruling by a special court for cases involving current and former legislators, which ordered the Lokayukta police in Mysuru to register a complaint based on Snehamayi’s allegations. This complaint was filed under multiple legal provisions, including the Indian Penal Code, the Prevention of Corruption Act, the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, and the Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition Act. The court had directed the Lokayukta to submit its report within three months.
The petition also notes Siddaramaiah’s public statements indicating that his political party, high command, state government, and cabinet support him in this case, suggesting that such public backing could further hinder a fair investigation. Therefore, the petitioner argued that transferring the case to the CBI or another similar agency is essential to ensure objectivity and transparency, given the prima facie evidence against Siddaramaiah and his family.
The High Court will review the Lokayukta police’s progress report on November 26 before determining the case’s further course.
