Today, On 19th December, The Karnataka High Court issued a temporary stay to the Lokayukta’s investigation into the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam. Justice M. Nagaprasanna ordered the Lokayukta to wait until the court hears a petition asking for a CBI investigation. The petition calls for a deeper and unbiased inquiry into corruption allegations in MUDA.
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court prohibited the Mysuru Lokayukta police from continuing their investigation into Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his co-accused in the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam.
Additionally, the Court extended the deadline for the Lokayukta police to submit their final investigation report to the trial court until January 28, 2025.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna stated that the Lokayukta must stay any further investigation in the case until the High Court concludes its final hearing on a petition requesting a CBI inquiry into the alleged scam.
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This ruling came during the hearing of a petition filed by activist Snehamayi Krishna, one of the three complainants in the MUDA scam, who is seeking a CBI investigation. Senior Advocate KG Raghavan, representing Krishna, previously informed the Court that since the Lokayukta operates under the State government, it may not be able to guarantee a fair investigation in a case involving the Chief Minister.
The Court was informed by counsel for all parties that the notices issued by the Court had been served to the respondents, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his wife.
The Court scheduled the final arguments on Krishna’s petition for January 15, 2025.
The Court acknowledged that a special court in Bengaluru instructed the Lokayukta to investigate the alleged scam in September and had requested a final report by December 24.
However, since the High Court is currently reviewing a petition for a CBI investigation, the submission of that report to the trial court must be temporarily paused.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna remarked,
“This Court will not permit a district court to secure a report and pass orders while the matter is being heard by this Court. To protect the proceedings pending before this Court, I find it appropriate to extend the time for filing the final report.”
As a result, the deadline for the Lokayukta to submit the final report has been extended from December 24 to January 28, 2025.
Krishna also requested the Court’s permission to include the Enforcement Directorate as a party in the case.
However, Senior Counsel Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Karnataka government and Siddaramaiah, respectively, objected to this request. The Court instructed them to file their objections by January 15.
In September, Justice Nagaprasanna dismissed a plea from Siddaramaiah challenging the Governor’s sanction to file corruption cases against him concerning land allotted by MUDA to his wife, Parvathi. Following this, the Karnataka Lokayukta filed an FIR against Siddaramaiah and three others on charges of corruption, cheating, and forgery related to the MUDA site allocation.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is accused of using his influence to illegally remove land from the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) area. A case has been filed against him, claiming that he wrote a letter in 1979 to cancel the land acquisition for Ashraya houses in Uttanahalli, Varuna, Mysore taluk, 30 years later. He is said to have recommended the removal of 1.39 acres of land for a person named Marappa.