MUDA scam: Court relief for Siddaramaiah as proceedings deferred
What's the story
The Karnataka High Court has directed the trial court not to take immediate action against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the alleged MUDA land scam case. Siddaramaiah moved the high court after governor Thawar Chand Gehlot granted sanction to prosecute him following petitions by social activists TJ Abraham, Snehamai Krishna, and Pradeep Kumar. In his plea, Siddaramaiah requested the court to revoke the permission granted for his prosecution. The interim relief will remain in effect until August 29.
Alleged conspiracy
Siddaramaiah alleges political conspiracy behind prosecution sanction
During the hearing, Siddaramaiah's senior counsel, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, argued that the governor's order is tainted and part of a larger scheme to destabilize the democratically elected government in Karnataka for political gains. The chief minister has also sought an injunction against the prosecution as interim relief in his writ petition, Singhvi added. He expressed full confidence in obtaining relief from the court, stating that his conscience is clear and he has done nothing wrong.
Scam details
Siddaramaiah faces allegations of document forgery in MUDA scam
"You have an elected government; the elected government has the mandate of the people. Anybody on the street comes with a complaint. That complaint is made decades and decades after an incident. A friendly governor gives sanction," Singhvi said. He argued that before the governor's approval, the state cabinet had already determined that the complaint was frivolous and hence cannot be sanctioned.
Resignation refusal
Opposition's protest and resignation demands
The controversy centers around the allegation that Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi was granted 14 sites in a premium residential layout as compensation for her 3 acres and 16 guntas of land acquired by MUDA. Under the MUDA 50:50 incentive scheme, individuals who lost their land for layout development are either awarded 50% of the sites or an alternate site. However, opposition parties claim that the land allocated for Dalit members was usurped and fraudulently awarded to Siddaramiah's wife using falsified paperwork.