The Lokayukta, today, submitted in Karnataka High Court’s Dharwad Bench its report on the investigation into the corruption in the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allotment case.
![[MUDA Scam] Lokayukta Submits Final Scam Report with Video and Audio Evidence: Karnataka High Court](https://i0.wp.com/lawchakra.in/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Muda-Scam.webp?resize=820%2C461&ssl=1)
Karnataka: The Lokayukta submitted its report to the Karnataka High Court’s Dharwad Bench today(27th Jan), detailing its investigation into the corruption involving land allotments by the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
ALSO READ: MUDA Scam | Karnataka HC Adjourns CM Siddaramaiah’s CBI Probe to January 27
Today, Senior Counsel Dushyant Dave: “Your Lordship will have to allow me to attack your judgement. This Court is also a court of records and I am sorry to say this Court was taken for a ride (by the petitioner).”
The Karnataka High Court had earlier given the Lokayukta a deadline of January 28 to present the full investigation report.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna instructed the Lokayukta police to resume their inquiry, which will be reviewed by the Inspector General of the Lokayukta police.
The court also mandated that the Lokayukta submit a progress report by January 27 and provide all existing records and files related to the case by January 16.
Justice Nagaprasanna stated,
“You (Lokayukta) should resume your investigation and submit your final report or any findings by the next hearing. Additionally, by tomorrow, you must present everything collected from December 19, 2024, to date,”
The report, prepared by the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) and Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Lokayukta, builds upon an earlier preliminary report submitted by Superintendent of Police TJ Udesh.
The report reportedly highlights some critical details about the case and includes statements from over 25 individuals, which were recorded under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act. These statements form a significant part of the investigation’s findings.
ALSO READ: CM Siddaramaiah Challenges Sanction for Prosecution in MUDA Scam Case
The report points out several irregularities in the allotment of land. These include 14 sites in the Vijayanagara area and 3.16 acres of land in Kesare village, located in Mysuru taluk.
The investigation has also recorded statements from several individuals, including the main accused in the case: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah (first accused), his wife BM Parvathi (second accused), her brother BM Mallikarjunaswamy (third accused), and J Devaraju, who sold the land to Mallikarjunaswamy (fourth accused).
The investigation spans activities from 1994 to 2024 and has gathered substantial evidence, including audio and video recordings, forensic science laboratory (FSL) reports, and digital devices such as hard disks, CDs, and pen drives.
The report also includes important official documents like RTC (Record of Rights, Tenancy, and Crops) records, land conversion papers, ownership transfer records, and correspondence related to the land transactions.
Background
The case involves serious allegations of power misuse and corruption in land and site allotments. It implicates several individuals, including former commissioners, chairpersons, engineers, urban planners, MLAs, MLCs, and the Additional Deputy Commissioner at the time. The court is expected to determine Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s role in this matter based on the evidence and statements outlined in the report.
As the news of these irregularities became public, political parties such as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) strongly condemned the corruption. Opposition leaders have demanded that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah step down, accusing him of being involved in the scandal. They also criticized the Lokayukta’s inquiry, alleging that the case had been mishandled.
Opposition Reactions and Criticism
The opposition parties have been vocal in their disapproval of the entire situation. They have taken issue with the investigation process and the handling of the case, with a particular focus on the role of the Lokayukta in the inquiry.
“Opposition leaders demanded the ouster of Siddaramaiah and criticised the Lokayukta’s inquiry, alleging mishandling of the case.”
The Lokayukta’s investigation remains under scrutiny, and the Karnataka High Court will eventually decide the future course of action after reviewing all the evidence and statements presented.
