Trouble for CM Siddaramaiah? Karnataka Governor gives permission to charge him in MUDA scam

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has approved the prosecution of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with the land allotment 'scam' by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), official sources said. PTI on Saturday.

“The governor has approved the prosecution against the chief minister. It is based on three petitions filed by TJ Abraham, Pradeep and Snehamayi Krishna,” said an official at the Raj Bhavan PTI.

Also read: How a 3-acre plot in Mysuru is putting Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in a difficult political position. All you need to know

Based on a petition by lawyer and activist TJ Abraham, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot issued a 'summons' on July 26, asking the Chief Minister to respond to the allegations against him within seven days and explain why no prosecution should be allowed against him.

On August 1, the Karnataka government had “strongly advised” the governor to withdraw his “request for comment” to the chief minister and accused him of “gross abuse of constitutional power”.

The case is related to the MUDA scam in which Siddaramaiah's wife was given alternate plots in an upscale locality for alleged illegal acquisition of three acres and 16 guntas of agricultural land at Kesarur in Mysuru city. Siddaramaiah has denied these allegations as baseless.

Earlier, social activist Snehamayi Krishna had filed a complaint against Siddaramaiah and nine others, accusing them of forging documents to seek compensation from the MUDA. The complaint alleges that Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathy, brother-in-law Malikarjuna Swamy Devaraj and their family were involved in creating fake documents to secure properties worth crores of rupees.

The BJP demanded the return of land allotted to the Prime Minister's family, while the opposition accused Siddaramaiah of grabbing land that rightfully belonged to the Dalit community.