Bengaluru: In a major setback for the Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday rejected his petition that challenged Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot’s decision to sanction his prosecution in connection with the alleged MUDA (Mysuru Urban Development Authority) land scam.
Court Finds No Fault In Governor’s Actions
A bench led by Justice M Nagaprasanna reportedly ruled that the Governor had the authority to make an ‘independent decision’ and had thoroughly applied his mind to the matter. The court stated that there was no fault in the Governor’s actions concerning the prosecution order.
#WATCH | Security forces deployed outside Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s residence, in Bengaluru.
Karnataka HC dismissed the petition by CM Siddaramiah challenging the Governor’s sanction for his prosecution in the alleged MUDA scam pic.twitter.com/CUMNitfuMk
— ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2024
“The order (by the Governor) does not suffer from non-application of mind… There is no fault in the Governor’s actions. The facts narrated need investigation. The petition stands dismissed,” said the court.
Additionally, the court also dismissed a plea by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the Chief Minister, to stay its order for two weeks. The judge in the case stated he could not stay his own order.
The High Court had concluded its hearing on the case on September 12 and reserved its judgment. During the proceedings, the court also directed a special court in Bengaluru to postpone any further action against Siddaramaiah and not to take any hasty measures until the High Court delivered its decision.
Details On MUDA Scam
The case centers on allegations that Siddaramaiah’s wife, B M Parvathi, was improperly allotted compensatory plots in a high-value area of Mysuru. The accusation is that Parvathi received land in an upmarket area with remarkably higher property value compared to the land that MUDA had originally acquired from her. According to the claims, MUDA developed a residential layout on the 3.16 acres of Parvathi’s land, and in return, she was given plots under a 50:50 compensation scheme.
